The Condition
The hip joint is a ball and socket joint. The primary function of the hip is to support the weight of the
body. The surfaces of the joint are covered with cartilage, which allows low friction movement. Thejoint is stabilised with ligaments, tendons and muscles.
As the cartilage is worn away, the underlying bone becomes exposed, and bony spurs and cysts can
form.
The Symptoms
Patients with hip OA often have some (if not all) of the following symptoms;
PAIN – LOCALISED TO THE GROIN AND FRONT OR SIDE OF THE HIP
JOINT STIFFNESS – GESPECIALLY IN THE MORNIN
LIMITED RANGE OF MOVEMENT, WITH PAIN DURING MOVEMENT
The Causes
There are many reasons for a person to develop osteoarthritis (OA):
PREVIOUS HIP FRACTURES
PREVIOUS HIP INJURIES
GENETIC CAUSES
DEVELOPMENTAL CAUSES
THE DIAGNOSIS
The diagnosis of hip OA is made using the clinical history, physical examination and imaging, such as x-rays. Blood tests may be used if it is necessary to rule out other types of arthritis.
The Oxford Hip Score is a very useful tool in assessing the severity of arthritis. You can complete thisyourself and get an instant score. It is a nationally used PROM (Patient Reported Outcome Measure) and is used before and after surgery to assess success.
The Treatment
Unfortunately, hip osteoarthritis cannot be cured in the later stages. There are different treatments options available to help manage symptoms and conservative (non-surgical) methods are usually tried before proceeding to surgery.
Analgesia is one way to treat hip osteoarthritis, such as paracetamol and non-steroidal anti- inflammatories. Steroid injections can also be used to reduce inflammation and help improve symptoms.
Physiotherapy and exercise staying active (as long as you do not overdo it) will help maintain muscle strength and help maintain what movement you have left in the joint. It is well documented that moderate exercise is very good for the cartilage despite the presence of OA.
Weight loss People with a ‘healthy’ weight have around a 20% risk of Hip Osteoarthritis. In patients that are overweight, this risk increases to 25% and is even higher at 39% in patients who are classed as obese. If you have a high BMI, weight loss may be one of the first things your Consultant suggests. This will also be beneficial to your recovery if you do end up having surgery later.
Assistive devices there are some things that can be done to make living with Hip osteoarthritis a little easier. Using a walking aid, such as a stick, especially if you are going to be walking long distances, Fitting a hand rail as extra support when going up and down stairs and maybe even fitting a stair lift. Even simple things like slip-on shoes so that you are not bent over trying to tie shoelaces can help.
Surgery is appropriate for patients with hip osteoarthritis who have already tried the above conservative treatment options. Surgical procedures include:
HIP ARTHROSCOPY– KEYHOLE SURGERY TO CHECK THE CONDITION OF THE ARTICULAR CARTILAGE
OSTEOTOMY– REALIGNING ANGLES OF THE HIP JOINT
TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT– NEW ACETABULAR AND FEMORAL COMPONENTS ARE IMPLANTED
STEM CELLS (NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL PATIENTS)
