1. Osteoarthritis (OA)
   1. Older age
   2. Pain worse with use
2. Trochanteric Bursitis
   1. Lateral hip pain aggravated by direct pressure
   2. Point tenderness over trochanteric bursa
3. Meralgia Paresthetica (lateral femoral cutanoues nerve entrapment)
   1. Localized are of pain on lateral area of hip
   2. Numbness and/or tingling to burning sensation
   3. Not affected by direct pressure, hip movement, or lower back movement
4. Lumbar Radiculopathy
   1. Lateral or posterior hip pain
   2. May radiate down leg and into foot
   3. May have foot numbness (especially L4-5 level
   4. Commonly lower back pain
   5. Straight leg raise to 60° eliciting pain in leg, buttocks, or back
   6. Narrowingof interverbetral disk space or other disk disease on MRI of lower lumbar
5. Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
   1. Lateral and posterior hip pain; may radiate to lower leg or groin
   2. Exacerbated by walking or standing; relieved by sitting, leaning forward
   3. Usually normal physical exam; ankle or knee reflexes may be impaired
   4. Narrowing of intraspinal canal on MRI or CT of lumbar
6. Chronic Inflammatory Arthritis
   1. Rheumatoid Arthritis
   2. Spondyloarthropathies
   3. Prominent morning stiffness with improvement on motion
   4. Swelling and tenderness in other joints
   5. Laboratory evidence of inflammation, rheumatoid factor, inflammatory synovial fluid
7. Osteonecrosis
   1. Anterior groin pain with joint use; can lead to thigh and buttock pain
   2. Frequent pain on walking and at rest
   3. More common in patients with glucocorticoid use
   4. MRI changes in femoral head
8. Iliotibial Band Syndrome
   1. Lateral hip pain, aching or burning, radiates down side of leg
   2. Pain exacerbated by running or walking
   3. Pain and tenderness along iliotibial band with patient lying with involved hip up, and then involved leg lowered and then nmoved forward and downward
9. Metastatic Cancer of the Femur
   1. Lateral hip pain aggravated by direct pressure or weight bearing
   2. Possible nocturnal or continuous pain
   3. May be tender on direct palpation
   4. Metastatic involvement on radiography or bone scan
10. Gout or Pseudogout
    1. Episodes of acute pain with swelling, redness
    2. May have similar episodes in other joints
    3. Crystals in inflammatory synovial fluid
    4. Pseudogout more common than gout in the hip

References

1. Lane NE. 2007. NEJM. 357(14):1413