Osteoarthritis of the Hip

Like other joints that carry weight, hips are subject to osteoarthritis, which is commonly called "wear and tear" arthritis. In this common form, the cartilage (the smooth and glistening covering on the ends of your bones that helps your hip joint glide) may wear thin. The first sign may be a bit of discomfort and stiffness in the groin, buttock or thigh when you wake up in the morning. The pain flares when you're active and gets better when you rest.

Without treatment, the condition keeps getting worse until resting no longer relieves your pain. The hip joint gets stiff and inflamed. Bone spurs might build up at the edges of the joint. When the cartilage wears away completely, bones rub directly against each other, making movement very painful. You may lose the ability to rotate, flex or extend your hip. If you limit activity to avoid the pain, the muscles controlling your joint get weak and you may start to limp.

About 10 million Americans have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. You're most at risk if you have a family history of the disease. You're also at risk if you are elderly, obese or have an injury that puts stress on your hip cartilage. You can get osteoarthritis, however, without any risk factors. See your doctor as soon as possible if you think you may have it.

Evaluation
While you cannot reverse the effects of osteoarthritis, early non-surgical treatment may ease pain, lessen disability and slow progression of the disease. Surgery can help you if your condition is already severe. In determining how much the disease has progressed, your doctor will ask you to describe your symptoms and tell when they began. Your doctor may rotate, flex and extend your hips to check for pain. He or she may want you to walk or stand on one leg to see how your hips line up. Both hips will probably be X-rayed to check if hip joint space has changed and if you have developed bone spurs or other abnormalities.

Treatment options - Non-surgical and surgical

Non-surgical treatment
If you have early stages of osteoarthritis of the hip, the first treatment may be:

• Rest your hip from overuse.
• Follow a physical therapy program of gentle, regular exercise like swimming, water aerobics or cycling to keep your joint functioning and improve its strength and range of motion.
• Use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen for pain.
• Get enough sleep each night.
• You may need to lose weight if you are overweight. As the disease progresses, you may need to use a cane.

Total hip replacement surgery
In later stages of osteoarthritis (your hip joint hurts when you rest at night and/or your hip is severely deformed), your doctor may recommend total hip replacement surgery, or arthroplasty. In this procedure, a two-piece ball and socket will replace your diseased hip joint. This will cure your pain and improve your ability to walk, although you may need crutches or a walker for awhile after surgery. Rehabilitation is important to restore your hip's flexibility and work your muscles back into shape.

The source for this information is the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.