Your lower back and hip are codependent structures. A problem in one of these structures can cause dysfunction and pain in the other.
If you have chronic lower back pain, the movements in your hip may be reduced and the muscles surrounding your hip joint can become tense and painful.If there’s an abnormality in your hip function, the mechanics of your lower back may be altered, causing pain in both regions. The lower back and hip share many groups of muscles. When a specific muscle is affected, it may lead to compensatory movements, fatigue, and pain in the other surrounding muscles.
Read on to learn how lower back and hip pain can occur together. While some conditions may affect one side of your lower back and hip, others can cause pain on both sides at the same time.
Sharp pain in the lower back and hip on one side
A shooting and sharp pain felt on one side on your lower back and hip may be caused by muscle spasm, joint dysfunction, and/or nerve compression in the region. Common conditions that cause this type of pain are discussed below.
Posterior view of piriformis muscles in the buttocks.
Spasm of the piriformis muscle located deep in the buttock may cause 5:
Moderate to severe lower back, hip, and buttock pain
Referred pain that may extend into the back of the thigh
Inability to sit for a long time
The pain is typically felt on one side and may be worsened by hip movements, such as when getting out of bed.
Piriformis syndrome is commonly caused by overactivity of the hip rotator muscles (which help rotate the hip inward or laterally) or sitting on hard surfaces for prolonged periods of time. An injury to the buttock may also cause this pain.6
Read more: What Is Piriformis Syndrome?
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
Inflammation within the joint that connects your lower spine to your pelvis, the sacroiliac joint, can cause7:
A sharp, stabbing pain felt directly over the lower back, hip, and buttock
Pain that may extend down the back of your thigh, but typically does not extend below the knee
Certain positions or activities may cause your pain to flare up, such as going from standing to sitting, climbing stairs, or lying on the affected side.7
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction Video Medical illustration of the sacroiliac joints.
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction can cause pain in the lower back, hip and buttock. Watch Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction Video
The sacroiliac joint may become a source of lower back, hip, and buttock pain due to arthritis, trauma, or repetitive stress within the joint.7 This joint is also a common source of pain in pregnant women due to hormonal and bodily changes at the time.8,9
While more common on one side, sacroiliac joint pain can also affect both sides of the lower back and hip.
The symptoms of piriformis syndrome and sacroiliac joint dysfunction may mimic lumbar radiculopathy, commonly called sciatica.