Osteoarthritis usually happens slowly when inflammation and injury to a joint break down the cushioning cartilage tissue. If you have it on your hips, you might have trouble walking. It can be hard to diagnose it at first because you can have pain in different areas of the body, like your groin, thigh, buttocks, or knee. The pain can be stabbing and sharp or it can be a dull ache, and the hip is often stiff.