Understanding Chronic Hip Pain Through the ICF Framework: Implications for Assessment, Diagnosis, and Management

Chronic hip pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition that can impair mobility, physical function, participation, and quality of life. Traditional assessment and management approaches often emphasize structural abnormalities and symptom control, but these approaches may not fully capture the broader functional, psychosocial, and contextual impact of chronic hip pain. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides a multidimensional framework for understanding health conditions through body structures and functions, activity and participation, and contextual factors. This scoping review aimed to synthesize recent evidence on chronic hip pain using the ICF framework and to clarify how this framework may inform assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and treatment planning. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Ovid for studies published between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2025. Original studies related to chronic hip pain or hip-related chronic pain were included and classified according to ICF-related domains, including structures and functions, activity and participation, personal factors, and environmental factors. A total of 39 studies were included. A total of 19 studies, accounting for 48.7% of the included literature, were classified under structures and functions. These studies mainly addressed structural abnormalities, pain mechanisms, clinical assessment, pharmacological treatment, interventional procedures, and other symptom-oriented interventions. A total of 11 studies were classified under activity and participation, focusing on movement performance, functional activities, physical activity, quality of life, and community-based outcomes. Seven studies examined personal factors, including psychological status, sleep quality, opioid use, race, and pain management strategies. Only two studies addressed environmental factors, mainly involving community-based care and online education. Overall, current research on chronic hip pain remains predominantly focused on body-level impairments and symptom management, whereas participation-level outcomes and environmental factors are comparatively underrepresented. The ICF framework offers a useful structure for integrating structural findings with functional limitations, psychosocial factors, and contextual influences. Applying this framework may support more comprehensive assessment, clinically meaningful diagnostic reasoning, and individualized treatment planning for people with chronic hip pain. Future studies should place greater emphasis on participation and environmental factors to better inform patient-centered rehabilitation and long-term management.