Osteoarthritis of the Hip

Osteoarthritis of the Hip

Like other weight-bearing joints, the hip may be at risk of “wear and tear”, (osteoarthritis) as the smooth and glistening articular cartilage, (between the bones) may slowly disappear as it wears thin. Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of hip pain and occurs mainly in adults aged 50 or over.

If you do not get treatment for osteoarthritis of the hip, the condition will keep getting worse until resting no longer relieves your pain. When the cartilage wears away completely, bones rub directly against each other. This makes it very painful for you to move. You will eventually lose the ability to move the leg in certain positions.

Causes:

* Trauma to the hip joint, such as a fall or fracture. Abnormal gliding of the bones may then result in early wear and tear of the cartilage.
* Family history of the disease.
* Age, (over 50). As the age of a person increases, the joint space decreases as the cartilage gets thinner.
* Obesity. Increased weight may put increased pressure on the knee joint, for example, leading to early wear and tear of the cartilage.
* Pes planus, (flat feet). The arches of the feet are rigid and put increased stress on other joints, such as the knees or hips.
* Genu valgum, (knock knees). This is more common in females as changes in the angle of the knees may place undue stress on the hip joints.
* Idiopathic. Osteoarthritis may develop for any unknown factor or stress!

(The above list is not exhaustive).

Symptoms:

Your first sign may be a bit of discomfort and stiffness in your groin, buttock, or thigh when you wake up in the morning. The pain flares when you are active and gets better when you rest. There is usually morning stiffness for a variable amount of time. The hip joint gets inflamed and bone spurs may build up at the edges of the joint. When the cartilage wears away completely, bones rub directly against each other. This makes it very painful for you to move. You will eventually lose the ability to internally rotate, extend or abduct your hip. If you become less active to avoid the pain, the muscles controlling your joints will get weak and you may start to limp.

“Pain, Swelling, Stiffness, Loss of Function of the Hip.”

Signs:

Patients may show a positive Trendelenburg and Faber-Patrick test.

Diagnosis:

The Sports Injuries Specialist – Registered Osteopath will determine how much the disease has progressed. A full case history will be carried out where the patient will be asked to describe in detail their problem. The patient will then be asked to perform certain movements, after which relevant orthopaedic tests will be carried out. This is necessary if The Sports Injuries Specialist – Registered Osteopath is to assess your hip accurately.

Patients may even be referred for an X-ray by The Sports Injuries Specialist – Registered Osteopath to check if the hip joint space has decreased significantly and if bone spurs or other abnormalities have developed.

Treatment:

Early nonsurgical treatment by the Sports Injuries Specialist – Registered Osteopath may help avoid a lot of pain, disability and progression of the disease. The patient may need to lose weight if they are overweight. Surgery will only be recommended as a last resort by The Sports Injuries Specialist – Registered Osteopath if the hip joint is severely deformed, in which case a hip replacement may be necessary.

Hip mobilisation, traction, harmonics will all be utilised in the treatment, including the advice of orthotics, (if necessary to reduce the impact of flat feet/high arches).

If you have hip pain or any of the symptoms listed above, if you want experienced help and relief from pain, if you want to carry on playing the sport you love when other professionals have written you off, then call The Sports Injuries Specialist – Registered Osteopath immediately for exceptional results.

Hip Pain – Hip Osteoarthritis Treatment At Chelsea Osteopaths, Harrow Osteopaths, Wembley Osteopaths by The Sports Injuries Specialist – Registered Osteopath. Regulated: Chelsea Osteopaths, Harrow Osteopaths, Wembley Osteopaths – The Sports Injuries Specialist – Registered Osteopath. How Hip Pain – Hip Osteoarthritis is treated at Chelsea Osteopaths, Harrow Osteopaths, Wembley Osteopaths by The Sports Injuries Specialist – Registered Osteopath.

ZAHIR CHAUDHARY, BA (Hons), BSc (Hons), ND, M Ost.Med
EMAIL: emergencyosteopath@gmail.com
CONTACT: 0208 423 6209; 0792 100 4705

WEB: www.sportsinjuriesspecialist.co.uk

CHELSEA OSTEOPATHS, 208 FULHAM ROAD, CHELSEA, LONDON. SW10 9PJ.

HARROW OSTEOPATHIC CLINIC, 9 LITTLETON ROAD, HARROW, MIDDLESEX. HA1 3SY.

WEMBLEY OSTEOPATHS, 31 NORVAL ROAD, NORTH WEMBLEY, MIDDLESEX. HA0 3TD.

FITNESS FIRST ALPERTON OSTEOPATHS. 197 EALING ROAD, THE ATLIP CENTRE, ALPERTON, WEMBLEY, MIDDLESEX. HA0 4LW.