When should I seek emergency care for a hip injury?

It’s scary to hurt your hip and not know what to do. While I can’t give medical advice, here are some situations when you should head to the emergency room for a hip injury:

You can’t put any weight on your hip. If you can’t take even a few steps, or if you feel like your hip might give out, seek immediate medical attention.
You have intense pain that keeps getting worse. Don’t try to tough it out. Let a doctor figure out what’s wrong.
You hear a popping sound along with the pain. This could be a sign of a serious injury.
Your hip looks deformed or different than usual. This isn’t something to wait on.
You have numbness or tingling in your hip, groin, or leg. This could indicate nerve damage.
You experience fever or chills along with the hip pain. This might mean an infection, which needs quick treatment.

It’s always best to err on the side of caution. If you’re ever unsure, call your doctor or head to the emergency room. They can determine how serious your injury is and get you the right care.