Conversation: The conversation between human and AI assistant.
[|Human|] I am a 68 yr old golfer.Six months ago I started to feel pain in my left hip that will not go away. Shortly after this I started to get pain on the top of my left foot near the ankle. When I go to bed I toss and turn to find the best sleeping position. Do you these problems are connected in some way?
[|AI|]  I'm sorry to hear about your pain and how it is affecting you physical activity. Now hip pain can be tricky. Many times patients feel they have hip pain when actually the pain is from the sacroiliac joint. To differentiate, first imagine where you would point to if someone asked you where the most pain occurs. If the pain is in the groin and worsened with walking, climbing stairs, getting in and out of the car or a seat, it is likely hip joint pain. If the pain is actually out to the side and above your buttocks (picture someone placing their hands on their "hips"), it is likely sacroiliac joint pain. Many times patients with sacroiliac joint pain can have symptoms radiate down the leg, while hip pain typically radiates into the groin and sometimes to the same sided knee. The best way to figure the problem out is to have a X-ray of your hip and also of your low back and sacroiliac joint. I hope this answer is helpful. In either case, the good news is that stretching, anti-inflammatory medications and even a joint injection can be very helpful. I hope you feel better and get out golfing again soon!