Osteoarthritis (Hip) treatment guide

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Guide Overview

A brief summary of what you'll find inside our treatment guide.

Definition

Osteoarthritis of the hip occurs when the smooth hyaline cartilage that lines the joints becomes thinner with age.

As a result, the round head of the femur bone sits more tightly in the inner socket of the pelvis causing periodic irritation, inflammation, and pain.

Causes (Aetiology)

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition which develops over time and forms part of the body’s natural ageing process.

Although it may sound serious most people experience some form of joint degeneration as they grow older without realising it.

Signs and symptoms

Most of the time wear and tear in our bodies is painless because the articular cartilage that lines the joints has no nerve endings.

However, if the articular cartilage wears all the way through to expose the underlying bone, then the joint surfaces rub together and the friction causes them to become inflamed and painful.

Clinically diagnosed osteoarthritis exists in around 10% of males and 18% of females over the age of 60 years, with hips being among those most commonly affected.

Symptoms include:

• Pain and stiffness which is worse in the morning or after sitting

• The hip joint may feel warm, with redness and visible swelling

• Often a little light exercise improves mobility and reduces the pain

• The joint may feel unstable when standing or walking

Management

Joints are lubricated through movement so it’s important to keep them healthy with gentle exercise.

The movement also helps push away any inflammation that forms and stagnates between the joint surfaces.

However, it’s important to keep movement and exercise within tolerable limits to prevent irritation.

Acute phase

During the acute phase, pain causes the surrounding muscles to tighten or spasm; a condition called ‘guarding contracture’.

This often squeezes worn joint surfaces together and makes the condition worse.

Our treatment guide will show you how to manage the pain during the acute phase so that you can begin gentle decompression of the joints.

Post-acute phase

Post-acute stage management focusses on keeping the joints mobilised and the surrounding muscles lengthened and relaxed.

Our treatment guide will show you how to lengthen chronically short muscles with a combination of isometric, concentric and eccentric stretches and help prevent them becoming irritated and painful.

Prognosis

Osteoarthritis is irreversible, and periodic flare-ups are inevitable.

However, symptoms generally respond well to conservative treatment and a combination of pain relief, mobilisation, and decompression therapy.

Complications

Complications include the development of bony growths, scar tissue and adhesions. These can impinge on surrounding tissues and cause secondary complications.

However, our clinically proven treatment guide will help you to reduce painful episodes, delay, and even prevent the need for invasive surgery or long-term medication if incorporated into a daily maintenance programme.

Start today and fast track your recovery!

Our guides contain all the latest clinical advice for musculoskeletal healthcare.

You can save hundreds of pounds or dollars on expensive physical therapy by treating the condition simply and effectively at home.