What is Hip Osteoarthritis?
Symptoms and Treatment
When treating hip pain we often assess if the pain is related to hip osteoarthritis. The hip is a ball (femur) and socket (pelvis) joint. The ends of each bone is covered with articular cartilage which allows the bones to glide smoothly over each other during movement. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, occurs when this articular cartilage gradually wears away and the joint space narrows. Bone spurs may also form in the hip joint as a result of wearing of cartilage.
Symptoms include:
- Pain in the front of the hip/groin/thigh.
- Stiffness upon waking or with prolonged positions.
- Loss of range of motion, crepitus, and pain aggravated with weight bearing.
- Symptoms typically worsen slowly over time.
Treatment options:
In most cases, physical therapy is the first recommendation for the treatment of hip osteoarthritis. If conservative management fails, steroid injections into the hip may be attempted. If symptoms still persist, a hip replacement surgery may be performed. Following a hip replacement, these patients would then return to physical therapy for post-operative rehabilitation in order to restore their hip range of motion, strength, and function.
Are you dealing with hip pain? Contact us on getting scheduled for an initial evaluation in order to start your road to recovery! You can also learn more by visiting OrthoInfo.
