Northwest Oklahoma Orthopaedic Clinic
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Is It Your Hip or Your Back?

We treat hip and joint conditions—but hip pain is often confused with back and spine problems like sciatica. We can help sort out where your pain is actually coming from and make sure you end up in the right hands.

Our Approach

We Treat Hips. We Help You Rule Out the Rest.

Many patients come to us certain they have a “hip problem” when their pain is actually coming from the lower back or a pinched nerve—conditions like sciatica or radiculitis. Pain in the buttock, groin, or thigh can originate from the hip joint, the lumbar spine, or both, which makes it easy to confuse.

At Northwest Oklahoma Orthopaedic Clinic, our surgeons specialize in hip and joint conditions. When you come in with pain in these areas, we examine your hip and work out whether your symptoms point to a hip problem we can treat—or to a spine or nerve condition that belongs with a different specialist.

If it's your hip, you're in the right place. If it isn't, we'll tell you plainly and point you to the provider who can help—so you don't waste time in the wrong office.

We Are Not a Spine Practice

Northwest Oklahoma Orthopaedic Clinic specializes in hip and joint surgery. We do not provide spine surgery, and we do not offer ongoing back or spine pain management. What we can do is help identify whether your pain is coming from your hip and coordinate a referral to the right specialist when it isn't.

How We Evaluate Hip Pain

Hip or Spine: Finding the Source

We use a systematic approach to determine whether your hip is the source of your pain.

1

Pain Pattern

The location of your pain provides important clues:

  • •Groin pain often suggests hip pathology
  • •Lateral hip pain may be hip or soft tissue
  • •Posterior/buttock pain often points to the spine
2

Physical Examination

Specific tests help identify the pain source:

  • •Hip range of motion testing
  • •FADIR and FABER provocation tests
  • •Neurological screening
  • •Maneuvers to check for a spine-related source
3

Imaging Review

X-rays and advanced imaging help confirm findings:

  • •Hip X-rays for arthritis assessment
  • •Review of any existing spine imaging you bring
  • •Correlation with clinical findings

When It's Likely Your Hip

  • Groin-dominant pain with positive hip exam findings
  • Imaging showing moderate to severe hip osteoarthritis
  • Prior orthopedic evaluation requesting surgical opinion
  • Pain reproduced with hip range of motion
  • Limited internal rotation of the hip

When It's Likely Your Spine (We'll Refer You)

  • Posterior or buttock-dominant pain pattern
  • Spine-provoked symptoms on examination
  • Neurologic complaints (numbness, tingling, weakness)
  • Diffuse pain without clear hip findings
  • Spine imaging that explains your symptoms
Coordinated Care

Where We Send Spine & Nerve Pain

When your symptoms point to a source other than the hip, we coordinate care with the right specialist so you don't have to start over.

Pain Management

For patients who may benefit from injections, nerve blocks, or other interventional pain treatments.

Spine Specialists

For patients with spine pathology that may require dedicated evaluation or surgical intervention.

Primary Care

When additional workup or conservative management through your PCP is recommended.

Recommended Pain Management Specialists

Dr. Chad Owens

Pain Management

Dr. Owens provides comprehensive pain management services including interventional treatments for spine-related conditions.

Visit EnidPain.com

Dr. Emily Morgan Pollard

Pain Management

Dr. Pollard specializes in pain management and can provide further evaluation for patients with spine-related symptoms.

Visit AlignPain.com

For Referring Providers

We appreciate your referrals and are committed to ensuring appropriate and timely care for our shared patients. If a referral does not meet criteria for hip surgical evaluation, we will communicate our recommendations and coordinate care with you and the patient.

We are always happy to re-review referrals should additional hip-specific findings or imaging become available. Questions about referral appropriateness can be directed to our office.

Not Sure Where the Pain Is Coming From?

Call our office and we'll help you figure out whether it's your hip—and where to go if it isn't.

(580) 233-6707