Osteoarthritis of the hip

Osteoarthritis of the hip is a degenerative disease in which the cartilage of this joint progressively wears away and can cause the bones to rub against each other. Its prevalence is around 5% in people over 50 years of age, but increases with age.

The main cause of osteoarthritis is wear and tear of the cartilage that forms the joints. In addition to genetics, a number of non-genetic factors have been identified that can increase the risk of suffering from osteoarthritis:

• Age, being much more common after the age of 50.
• Previous injury to the hip joint.
• Inequality in the length of the lower extremities.
• Obesity or overweight.
• Having had developmental dysplasia of the hip, a condition in newborns in which the hip joint has not formed correctly.

The main symptom of osteoarthritis of the hip is the presence of pain. This pain has a gradual onset and worsens over time. This pain can often be accompanied by stiffness that worsens first thing in the morning or after resting. In addition, there may be decreased range of motion of the hip that affects the ability to walk, the presence of crepitus during movement or pain in the groin or thigh.

There is no way to prevent the onset of hip arthritis, but there are measures that can delay its onset or slow its progression such as maintaining a healthy weight, practicing regular physical exercise, improving posture or avoiding physical activities that impact the area.

There are many treatment options that help relieve pain and improve mobility, non-surgical such as lifestyle modifications, physical therapy or certain drugs, or surgical for more advanced cases.