The most prominent symptom of hip arthritis is pain. Most patients think that their hip is in the region of the buttocks and are surprised to learn that hip pain is most commonly experienced in the groin . The pain can radiate down the front of the thigh for a few inches as well. This is because the hip and knee have an overlapping nerve supply.
Back pain is even more frequently confused with hip pain.
Pain in the buttocks, across the low back and down the back of the thigh usually comes from the spine. It usually indicates a pinched nerve in the lower spine . Patients with a pinched nerve will also often have numbness or tingling in the leg. To complicate matters, some patients with an arthritic hip may also have a pinched nerve from a back disorder. If most of your pain is from the hip, a hip replacement may have the added benefit of improving your back condition as well, since the stiffness of an arthritic hip can aggravate a back problem.