Low back and hip pain typically affect one side of the body. However, it is possible to have pain on both sides depending on the underlying cause or if you experience pain that radiates or is widespread.
One-sided back and hip pain can occur on the left or right side and is linked to multiple causes, including:
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What Causes One-Sided Low-Back and Hip Pain?
The most common causes of hip and back pain are injuries, arthritis, and disc problems.You might also experience it as a result of an underlying health condition. Many causes of one-sided back pain might also affect both sides of the body.
Overuse Injury
Sports like baseball, tennis, and golf can contribute to strain because they involve sudden, forceful movements.
A chronic strain of the low back can cause significant pain over time. You might also have severe pain in a muscle area that is already inflamed and experiences extra stress.
Vertebral Fracture
Avertebral spine fractureoccurs when one or more vertebrae (bones of the spine) are compressed or cracked. Vertebral fractures are common in older adults, people withosteoporosis(a bone-thinning disease), or after a severe traumatic injury (e.g., an automobile accident or fall).
Symptoms of a vertebral fracture include a sudden popping sound in the low back andback pain that radiatesin the hip, buttocks, and legs.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a common cause of one-sided back and hip pain, although some types may affect the entire lower back and both hips.Back pain associated with arthritis is consideredchronic. Arthritis can cause radiating back pain that comes and goes, back stiffness, hip pain, and reduced mobility.
Axial spondyloarthritis(axSpA) is a type of inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the spine and causes severe low-back and hip pain.Additional symptoms includefatigue,joint pain,heel pain, and eye inflammation.
Additional arthritis types that might lead to low-back and hip pain include:
Disc Injury
A disc injury, such as a tear or herniation, can causelow back and hip pain.A small tear in the disc’s outer part can occur due to aging. If this occurs, you may experience severe pain lasting for weeks or months.
You might develop aherniated discfrom lifting, bending, or twisting.A herniated disc occurs when the gel-like center of the disc (nucleus) pushes against the outer part. The nucleus may press through if the disc is significantly worn out or experiences trauma.
If the disc bulges or protrudes (bulging disc), it may pressure the spinal nerves, causing pain. This pressure may cause low-back pain extending into the hip, the buttock, and the leg.
Lower Left Back Pain Causes and Treatments
Degenerative Disc Disease
Theintervertebral discsbetween adjoining vertebrae in the vertebral column can wear away and shrink. When this happens, they can collapse and lead to facet joint pain.The facets are located between each vertebra at the back part of the spine. When the discs and the facets rub against each other, you will experience pain.
Pain fromdegenerative disc diseaseaffects the low-back and hips on one side or both.It may radiate into the buttocks and hips and worsen with lifting, bending, and twisting. It might improve with activity, including walking andrunning.
Low-back painoften occurs with hip pain, but back pain can sometimes be mistaken for hip pain. This is because the hip joint is located near thelumbar spine(low back). A hip injury might also mimicback pain. Hip and back pain can occur with the following:Referred back painGroin pain on the same sideStiffness and tendernessPain with movement and walkingLeg pain on the affected side
Low-back painoften occurs with hip pain, but back pain can sometimes be mistaken for hip pain. This is because the hip joint is located near thelumbar spine(low back). A hip injury might also mimicback pain. Hip and back pain can occur with the following:
Piriformis Syndrome
This condition can cause one-sided pain in the low back, hip, buttock, and back of the leg. It can also causesciatic nerve pain(sciatica), including sharp, shooting leg pain.
Sciatica pain results from irritation of thesciatic nerve—the largest nerve in the body, which starts in the low back and goes down into the foot. You have two sciatic nerves, one on each side of the body.
Sciatica can occur with various low-back pain conditions. It does not cause back pain but can be a symptom of an underlying back pain cause.
Pinched Nerve
If you have a pinched nerve, pain may come on suddenly and progress. Pain might radiate into the legs. You might experience weakness of the lower extremities.
A pinched nerve might occur for various reasons. Causes includeperipheral neuropathy, disc herniations, or arthritic spine changes.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunctioncan cause low-back and hip pain.Low-back pain related to SI dysfunction can be dull and achy and is typically felt on one side. It may spread into the hips, buttocks, and groin.
Sacroiliitis(inflammation of the SI joints) might also lead to low-back pain and hip pain.It commonly occurs in people with inflammatory arthritis, including ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis. It often affects one side of the body but can sometimes affect both.
One-sided back and hip pain can occur on the left or right side and is linked to multiple causes, includingmuscle strains, apinched nerve, arthritis,herniated discs, andsacroiliac (SI) jointproblems.
Infection
Symptoms that might occur with aspinal infectioninclude severe back pain, fever, chills, muscle pain and spasms, weakness and numbness in the arms and legs, and bladder or bowel incontinence.
Poor Posture
Poor posture and slouchingcan lead to low back and hip pain on one or both sides.You may experience pain while sitting, but pain might also occur when standing and walking, especially after sitting for an extended period.
Kidney Pain
You can feel pain in the area of your back where your kidneys are located. Kidney pain can affect one side of the back or both.
The most common symptom of kidney stones is lower back, belly, and/or side pain, which may extend into the groin area. Depending on the size of the stone(s) being passed and other factors, discomfort may vary from a dull throb to an intense, severe pain that comes in waves.
Besides pain, symptoms of kidney stones include:
However, having pain in both areas of your back closest to your kidneys does not mean you have a problem with one or both kidneys.This is because there are many muscles, bones, and organs around and near your kidneys and, without diagnostic testing, it is hard to pinpoint a cause.
See a Healthcare ProviderIf you have constant back pain that is limited to the area where your kidneys are located, or you think you might have a kidney problem, contact your healthcare provider right away.
See a Healthcare Provider
If you have constant back pain that is limited to the area where your kidneys are located, or you think you might have a kidney problem, contact your healthcare provider right away.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Thepelvic flooris the group of muscles in the pelvic region that support the organs of the pelvis (bladder, rectum, uterus, etc.).The pelvic floor muscles control urination, bowel movements, and sexual intercourse.
Pelvic floor dysfunctionis the inability to control pelvic floor muscles, leading to urinary incontinence and inability to complete bowel movements. It may also cause low back, hip, and pelvic pain on one or both sides of the body.
Gynecologic Conditions
Back and hip pain can affect anyone. However, females will experience back pain more often than males.Researchers have long suspected that body structure and hormone differences are to blame.
Various gynecologic conditions can cause low back and hip pain. Pain might occur on one or both sides of the body.
Gynecologic conditions that can lead to back pain that affects one side or both include:
Is Low-Back and Hip Pain Ever a Sign of Cancer?It is rare, but low back and hip pain might be related to some cancer types. For example, back pain might be an early sign of prostate cancer, or it may occur with spinal cancer.But if back and hip pain occur in people with cancer, they will present with other symptoms, including severe fatigue, fever, and weight loss.
Is Low-Back and Hip Pain Ever a Sign of Cancer?
It is rare, but low back and hip pain might be related to some cancer types. For example, back pain might be an early sign of prostate cancer, or it may occur with spinal cancer.But if back and hip pain occur in people with cancer, they will present with other symptoms, including severe fatigue, fever, and weight loss.
Managing Low-Back and Hip Pain
Depending on the cause of your lower back and hip pain, your healthcare provider might prescribe treatments to manage symptoms, including:
Let your healthcare provider know if treatments are not helping or causing severe side effects.
You should also notify them about back pain that continues up to six weeks after treatment or that interrupts your sleep for at least three nights over one week.
Signs of an Emergency
Pain that comes on suddenly and worsens quickly, may require emergency medical attention. Low-back, hip, and pelvic symptoms that require emergency care include:
Leg weakness, incontinence, and saddle numbness could be signs of a severe condition calledcauda equina syndrome(CES). It is a medical emergency that requires immediate nervedecompression surgeryto reduce permanent damage.
Summary
Low back and hip pain are common problems. Common causes of back and hip pain include injuries, arthritis, nerve or disc compression, kidney problems, or repetitive stress on the lower back. Some causes of low-back and hip pain are specific to women, including pregnancy, PMS, endometriosis, and dysmenorrhea.
You can manage low-back and hip pain with lifestyle changes, medications, and self-care. Surgery is rarely needed to treat back and hip pain. You should seek emergency care for back and hip pain that presents with leg weakness, saddle anesthesia, and incontinence. These are signs of cauda equina syndrome, which is a medical emergency.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Johns Hopkins Medicine.Lower back pain: What could it be?
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Cedars-Sinai.Degenerative disc disease.
Cedars-Sinai.Piriformis syndrome.
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American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Spinal infections.
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Beaumont Health.Pelvic floor dysfunction.
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Jin Q, Chang Y, Lu C, Chen L, Wang Y.Referred pain: characteristics, possible mechanisms, and clinical management.Front Neurol. 2023;14:1104817. doi:10.3389/fneur.2023.1104817
HSE.Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) in pregnancy.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.7 ways to treat chronic pain without surgery.
UW Medicine. Orthopaedics Surgery and Sports Medicine.Back pain.
UT Southwestern Medical Center.5 signs your back pain might be an emergency.
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