Overview
Hip pain can come from the joint itself, the muscles around it, or structures nearby — and the words doctors use can blur the lines. This glossary explains the terms you'll see across InjuryAtlas's hip pages in plain English.
Terms are listed alphabetically, with links for the full picture.
A
Abduction: Moving the leg out to the side, away from the midline of the body.
Acetabulum: The cup-shaped socket in the pelvis that holds the head of the femur and forms the hip joint. See hip joint overview.
Adduction: Moving the leg in toward or across the midline of the body.
B
Bursa: A small fluid-filled sac that reduces friction between moving structures. The hip has several, most famously over the greater trochanter. See greater trochanteric pain syndrome.
Bursitis: Inflammation or irritation of a bursa, causing pain and tenderness — often on the outer hip.
C
Clamshell: A side-lying exercise that works the deep gluteal muscles by opening the top knee while the feet stay together.
F
Femoral head: The ball at the top of the thigh bone that fits into the acetabulum.
Femoral neck: The angled section of thigh bone between the ball and the shaft of the femur — a common fracture site in older adults.
Femur: The thigh bone, the longest and strongest bone in the body.
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI): Bony changes at the hip joint that cause pinching during certain movements, especially deep flexion and rotation. See femoroacetabular impingement.
Flexion: Bending at the hip, bringing the thigh toward the belly.
G
Gluteals: The three buttock muscles — gluteus maximus, medius and minimus — that extend, abduct and stabilise the hip. See gluteal muscles anatomy.
Gluteal tendinopathy: Irritation or degeneration of the gluteal tendons where they attach to the greater trochanter — a common cause of outer hip pain. See gluteal tendinopathy.
Greater trochanter: The bony bump on the outer side of the top of the thigh bone, a major attachment point for the gluteal muscles.
Groin: The area where the inner thigh meets the pelvis. Groin pain often points to the hip joint, adductor muscles or a hernia.
Groin strain: A tear of one of the inner-thigh adductor muscles, common in sports with rapid direction changes and kicking.
H
Hip hinge: A bending pattern where the hips move backward and the spine stays long — the foundation of safe lifting and squatting.
Hip labrum: The ring of cartilage around the rim of the acetabulum that deepens the socket and seals the joint. See hip labral tear.
Hip osteoarthritis: Wear and tear of the hip joint cartilage that causes pain, stiffness and reduced movement, usually in middle age and beyond. See hip osteoarthritis.
Hip precautions: Position restrictions after hip replacement surgery — often avoiding crossing the legs, twisting and deep flexion — while the new joint heals.
I
Iliopsoas: The deep hip-flexor group (psoas major plus iliacus) that connects the spine and pelvis to the thigh.
Impingement: Pinching of structures inside a joint during movement. See Femoroacetabular impingement.
Iliotibial (IT) band: The long band of connective tissue running down the outer thigh from the hip to the knee. Tension here can cause pain at the hip or knee.
L
Labral tear: A tear of the hip labrum, often associated with deep flexion, twisting or impingement. See hip labral tear.
O
Outer hip pain: Pain over the side of the hip, usually from the gluteal tendons, bursa or the hip joint itself. See outer hip pain.
P
Piriformis: A small muscle deep in the buttock that rotates the hip and sits close to the sciatic nerve. See piriformis anatomy.
R
Rotation: Twisting of the thigh inward or outward at the hip.
S
Single-leg stance: Standing on one leg — a basic test and exercise for hip and pelvic stability.
Snapping hip: A visible or audible snap during hip movement, usually caused by a tendon sliding over bone. Often harmless, but can accompany pain.
T
Tensor fasciae latae (TFL): A small muscle at the front of the outer hip that works with the IT band to stabilise the hip.
Total hip replacement (THA): Surgery to replace the worn hip joint with an artificial one, usually for advanced osteoarthritis. See hip replacement rehabilitation guide.
Trendelenburg sign: Dropping of the pelvis to one side during single-leg stance, indicating weakness of the hip abductors (gluteus medius).
Trochanteric bursitis: Old terminology for pain over the greater trochanter; most cases are gluteal tendinopathy rather than true bursitis.
Related Resources
This information is for education only and is not a medical diagnosis. Sudden inability to bear weight, severe pain after a fall, or a hip that looks or feels out of place needs urgent assessment.