Introduction
Hip care hub · Dr Sean Leo
Hip problems in Singapore: assessment and treatment options
Specialist orthopaedic surgeon · hip problems
Dr Sean LeoOrthopaedic Surgeon, Singapore
Clinic enquiries · Not an emergency service
Illustrative image
Start here
Start here
Start here
Start by understanding the hip problem, not choosing a procedure.
Hip pain is common, and it has many possible causes. It might come from a sudden injury or from a longer-lasting problem such as arthritis, and sometimes it is something serious such as a broken hip.[1] The same words, “hip pain”, can describe quite different problems, so it is best not to try to diagnose the cause yourself.[1]
This webpage helps you describe what you are feeling, see how the location of the pain is used, and find the hip pathway that is most relevant to you.
Seeing a specialist orthopaedic surgeon about a hip problem does not mean surgery has already been decided.[1][5]
OrthoKinetics is Dr Sean Leo’s professional brand. Clinical consultations and treatment are provided through OrthoSports Orthopaedic & Sports Surgery. Dr Sean Leo is a specialist orthopaedic surgeon who cares for hip problems.
What’s covered on this webpage
Follow the route in order, or jump to the stop you need. Stops you have read are marked.
When should a hip problem be assessed
When should a hip problem be assessed
When should a hip problem be assessed?
Many hip problems are managed without surgery, and being assessed for a hip problem does not mean an operation has already been decided.[1][5] An assessment is about understanding the problem and your options.
Some situations are different. A broken hip (hip fracture) is serious and needs treatment in hospital straight away.[2] If a hip problem may need urgent attention, such as after a fall or if you cannot bear weight, seek urgent medical care.[1][2]
- OrthoKinetics does not provide emergency or urgent care through this webpage or its WhatsApp contact.
More on a broken hip
A broken hip usually happens because of a fall or injury.[2] The hip fracture page covers what a broken hip is and what follows: Understand broken hip (hip fracture) and what happens next.
What does a hip assessment look at
What does a hip assessment look at
What does a hip assessment look at?
Hip pain has many possible causes, and an assessment, rather than self-diagnosis, is what tells them apart.[1]
Where the pain is felt is a useful first pointer. Deep pain in the groin or the front of the hip often points toward a problem inside the joint.[4][7] Pain at the point of the hip, or on the outside of it, often points toward the bursa and the gluteal tendons instead.[5][7]
A pointer is not a diagnosis. Several conditions share the same region, and examination, not the location alone, confirms what is causing the pain.
What “inside the joint” can include
Problems inside the hip joint include osteoarthritis, hip impingement (femoroacetabular impingement), injury to the labrum (the ring of cartilage around the socket), and osteonecrosis.[4][6][7] Pain at the point of the hip is linked to the bursa and the gluteal tendons, and trochanteric bursitis and gluteal tendinopathy are names used for it.[5][7] Knowing these names does not tell you which one applies to you.
Use symptoms to describe the problem, not diagnose it.
Use symptoms to describe the problem, not diagnose it.
Use symptoms to describe the problem, not diagnose it.
Describe where the pain is, when it appears, what changes it and how it limits you. That gives a clinician far more to work with than a label.
The words people use for hip problems are useful descriptions:
- deep pain in the groin
- pain at the point or on the outside of the hip
- pain that spreads to the knee
- stiffness
- limping, or difficulty putting weight on the leg
Pain from a hip problem can spread to the knee, so pain felt at the knee may still come from the hip.[4] The knee hub is the place to read about knee pain itself.
These words describe what you are experiencing. On their own they do not confirm which structure is responsible, and more than one source can contribute.[1]
Hip pathways
Hip pathways
Pathways
Find the relevant hip pathway.
These five pages organise educational information by broad hip concern. Choosing one is navigation, not a diagnosis, and it does not mean its treatment applies to you.
Hip osteoarthritis
Use this pathway for information about wear-and-tear arthritis of the hip and how it is assessed and managed. Reading it cannot confirm that your pain is osteoarthritis.
Broken hip (hip fracture)
Use this pathway for information about a broken hip and the urgent assessment and treatment that follow. Reading it cannot confirm that you have a fracture.
Hip replacement (total hip arthroplasty)
Use this pathway for information about hip replacement surgery, including when it is considered and what a revision involves. Reading it cannot confirm that you need a replacement.
Hip impingement (femoroacetabular impingement) and labral tear
Use this pathway for information about hip impingement and labral tears, and how they are assessed and treated. A labral tear is a tear of the cartilage ring around the hip socket. Reading it cannot confirm that your symptoms are impingement or a tear.
Outer hip pain
Use this pathway for information about pain at the outside of the hip, where the tendons and bursa are the common sources.[5] Reading it cannot confirm the cause of your pain.
A separate blood-supply condition
Osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis, AVN) of the hip is a painful condition in which the blood supply to the head of the thighbone is disrupted.[6] It is a different problem from wear-and-tear arthritis. The hip osteoarthritis and hip replacement pages above are the nearest pathways here.
Where is the pain, and where might you look next?
This is a way of finding your way around this webpage, not a way of diagnosing yourself.
| Where you feel it | What it may point toward | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Deep in the groin or the front of the hip | Problems inside the joint[4][7] | Hip osteoarthritis, hip impingement and labral tear |
| At the point or the outside of the hip | The bursa and the gluteal tendons[5][7] | Outer hip pain |
| At the knee | Pain from the hip can spread to the knee[4] | Knee hub, and assessment |
What tests can and cannot show
What tests can and cannot show
What tests can and cannot show
Hip pain has many possible causes, and you cannot tell them apart by trying to diagnose yourself. An assessment is what distinguishes them.[1]
Which tests, if any, are useful depends on the condition being considered, so that detail sits on the pathway pages above.
Treatment follows the diagnosis and the person.
Treatment follows the diagnosis and the person.
Treatment follows the diagnosis and the person.
Many hip problems are managed without surgery.[1][5] Being assessed by a specialist orthopaedic surgeon about a hip problem does not mean an operation has already been decided.
A treatment discussion weighs reasonable non-operative and operative options against the diagnosis, the person and the goal. Some people with pain caused by a damaged hip joint may eventually need a hip replacement if other treatments do not help.[1] Which operation, if any, and when, is covered on the relevant pathway page.
Structure / Patient / Goal
Structure / Patient / Goal
Deciding together
Structure / Patient / Goal
S
Structure: what is affected?
Structure is the part of the hip that may be involved: the joint itself, or the tendons around it.
P
Patient: how does it affect you?
Patient means you as a whole person. Your symptoms, how active you are, your general health, your preferences and your circumstances all shape which options are reasonable.
G
Goal: what are you hoping to return to?
Goal is what matters to you, whether that is walking comfortably, returning to work or returning to sport. A useful plan starts from a clear purpose.
Your plan
No single factor decides the plan alone. Assessment is where the three are brought together.
Relieve, repair and replace describe different aims.
Relieve, repair and replace describe different aims.
Relieve, repair and replace describe different aims.
These are three different treatment purposes. They are not steps in a mandatory ladder, and not every hip concern fits neatly into one of them.
Relieve: easing pain and restoring movement
Relieving pain and restoring movement is often done without surgery.[1][5]
Repair: restoring a damaged structure
Repair means surgery to restore a damaged structure in the hip, such as arthroscopic or labral surgery.
Replace: substituting a worn or damaged joint
Replace means a hip replacement, in which a worn or damaged joint is substituted.
Not every hip problem ends in a replacement. The right aim depends on the condition, the person and the goal.
What happens next?
What happens next?
What happens next?
Prepare for a hip assessment
Bring relevant reports or images if you have them, details of any previous treatment and a current medicine list. It also helps to note what you want to understand from the visit.
Cost, Medisave and insurance
A cost estimate for surgery can be given only after a consultation and assessment, once a surgical plan has been developed. Each individual condition is unique — implants used, time taken, and other factors contribute to the overall estimate. The estimate will be provided to you by the clinic should you decide on surgical management, and will also be used to assist in obtaining pre-authorisation from insurance where applicable.
Ask the clinic team for current information about fees, panel status, pre-authorisation and expected payment arrangements. Insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs depend on the individual policy and the insurer’s decision; no coverage is guaranteed.
Insurance panels. Dr Sean Leo, Orthopaedic Surgeon, is on the specialist panels of Great Eastern (GE Panel), HSBC Life (HSBC Life Shield) and Singlife (Singlife Shield), and on the Prudential Panel. AXA Insurance Singapore became part of HSBC Life in 2023, and former AXA Shield plans are now HSBC Life Shield plans.
Corporate health plans. Dr Leo is on the panels of both Alliance Medinet and iXchange, which administer medical benefits for many company health plans. If your company plan uses either panel, you can see Dr Leo as a panel doctor.
If your company uses a different panel. Some company plans still let you see a doctor of your choice outside their panel, then claim reimbursement. This varies from plan to plan, as may the co-payment, so please check your benefits with your company’s HR department.
Panel arrangements change from time to time, so please confirm with your insurer or your company’s plan administrator before your appointment.
Dr Leo is on the panels shown. If your insurer is not listed, you may ask whether co-management with an Orthosports surgeon partner on that panel is clinically and administratively appropriate. Orthosports surgeon partners are collectively on the panels of all Shield plans.
Specific benefits, pre-authorisation, reimbursement and cashless treatment depend on the individual policy and insurer approval and are not guaranteed.
Arrange an appointment
Arrange a consultation: the appointment section is further down this page.
With you through the seasonsMeet Dr Sean Leo
Meet Dr Sean Leo
A consultant orthopaedic surgeon whose clinical focus is the knee, sports injuries and the lower limb.
- Dr Sean Leo is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon. OrthoKinetics is his professional brand; clinical services are provided through OrthoSports Orthopaedic & Sports Surgery at Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre and Connexion, Farrer Park Hospital.
- His clinical interests include sports injuries, including those in adolescent athletes; ligament reconstruction; realignment surgery; cartilage repair and joint-preservation approaches; knee replacement; and technology-assisted hip and knee surgery.
- The consistent aim is to return people to meaningful function and activity while avoiding unnecessary downtime.
- Qualifications: MBBS, MRCS (Ed), MMed (Ortho), FRCSEd (Ortho).
More detail: Meet Dr Sean Leo
- Training and career: Dr Leo trained in medicine at the National University of Singapore and served in the Singapore Armed Forces Medical Corps from 2000 to 2012, where his work included the care of soldiers in physically demanding roles. He completed postgraduate orthopaedic training in 2009 and a one-year clinical fellowship at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, Australia, before joining Changi General Hospital as an orthopaedic consultant in 2012, where he later held the positions of Senior Consultant and Director of the Hip and Knee Service. With seniority, his educational contribution has evolved towards mentorship and support for junior doctors.
OrthoKinetics Recovery Reflection
Recovery reflection
If the same hip pain could point toward more than one cause, what changes when you let more than one possibility stay open?
It is natural to want one answer straight away, because an answer feels like relief. But an early answer that is only a guess can close off possibilities before anyone has had a chance to look at them. Keeping two or three explanations in mind, without committing to any, is not indecision. It is an honest description of where things stand.
What would it mean to move toward an assessment while the question is still undecided?
You do not have to know the answer in order to take a step toward finding out. Being unsure and moving forward can go together. The examination is where the possibilities are narrowed, so that work does not have to be finished in your own head first.
A hip problem can hold more than one possibility open at once, and none of them has to be decided before you begin.
Illustrative image
Questions people often ask
Common hip questions
Common hip questions
What causes hip pain?
Hip pain has many possible causes. It might come from a sudden injury or a longer-lasting problem such as arthritis, and sometimes it is something serious such as a broken hip. Because one symptom can point to several causes, it is best not to diagnose the cause yourself; an assessment tells them apart.[1]
Why does my hip pain show up at my knee?
Pain from a hip problem can spread to the knee, so pain felt at the knee may still come from the hip.[4] That is one reason the two are considered together in an assessment. The knee hub covers knee pain itself.
When should I see a doctor for hip pain?
Severe hip pain after a fall or injury, or being unable to walk or put weight on your leg, needs urgent medical care.[1][2] For other hip pain, describing it and being assessed helps to understand the cause, and being assessed does not mean an operation has already been decided.[1][5]
Do I need a hip replacement?
Not necessarily. Many hip problems are managed without surgery. Some people with pain caused by a damaged hip joint may eventually need a hip replacement if other treatments do not help.[1] The hip replacement page covers when it is considered.
What is osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis) of the hip?
Osteonecrosis, also called avascular necrosis (AVN), of the hip is a painful condition in which the blood supply to the head of the thighbone is disrupted.[6] It is a different problem from wear-and-tear arthritis. The hip osteoarthritis and hip replacement pages are the nearest pathways here.
What happens if I have broken my hip?
A broken hip (hip fracture) is serious and needs treatment in hospital straight away. It usually happens because of a fall or injury.[2] The hip fracture page covers what a broken hip is and what follows.
Can hip osteoarthritis be treated without surgery?
Many hip problems are managed without surgery, and being assessed does not mean an operation has already been decided.[1][5] What that means for wear-and-tear arthritis of the hip is covered on the hip osteoarthritis page.
Sources
References
References
- NHS. Hip pain in adults. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/hip-pain/ (last reviewed 20 November 2025)
- NHS. Broken hip. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/broken-hip/
- NHS Lothian (RefHelp). Buttock pain — Adult Non Arthritic Hip Service. Available at: https://apps.nhslothian.scot/refhelp/guidelines/orthopaedics/adult-non-arthritic-hip-service/buttock-pain-2
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Osteoarthritis of the Hip. OrthoInfo. Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/osteoarthritis-of-the-hip
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Hip Bursitis. OrthoInfo. Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/hip-bursitis
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Osteonecrosis of the Hip. OrthoInfo. Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/osteonecrosis-of-the-hip
- O’Rourke R, El Bitar Y. Femoroacetabular Impingement. StatPearls. NBK547699. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547699/
Final next step
Final next step
Next step
Final next step
Reading about a problem is a starting point. An assessment brings together the history, an examination where needed and any useful tests, and helps you and your clinician decide what to do next. How much physical examination is needed is a matter of clinical judgement. It may be limited when pain makes an examination unreliable, or when imaging clearly shows a problem that matches the symptoms, such as a fracture seen on an X-ray or an MRI scan that clearly shows an injury consistent with the symptoms. The Singapore Medical Council and the UK General Medical Council both allow remote medical consultations, where a physical examination is not possible, with safeguards: the doctor must be clear about the limits of an opinion formed without an examination, and whether an in-person examination is needed, or referral to other services, is left to the clinical judgement of the attending doctor.
If a hip problem may need urgent attention, such as after a fall or if you cannot bear weight, seek urgent medical care.[1][2]
Arrange a consultation
Appointments are arranged through the OrthoSports clinic team. Send your details below, or message or call the clinic.
Leave your details and the clinic team will reply to arrange a time.
Message the clinic on WhatsApp
-
38 Irrawaddy Road, #10-41 Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Singapore 329563 Map for Orthosports@Novena (opens Google Maps)
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1 Farrer Park Station Road, #15-17 Connexion, Singapore 217562 Map for Orthosports@Connexion (opens Google Maps)
WhatsApp is for clinic enquiries only. It is not an emergency service and is not monitored for urgent care. Website or messaging contact is not an emergency-response service. For a medical emergency, use your local emergency service.
- OrthoKinetics does not provide emergency or urgent care through this webpage or its WhatsApp contact.