As one of the largest weight-bearing joints in the body, it’s common to experience pain in your hip. Your hip allows you perform many motions, such as walking, sitting, and bending. However, pain in the hip can make these basic motions nearly impossible.
To understand your hip pain, it’s important to know how your hip works. The hip is a stable ball-and-socket joint that consists of the femoral head, or ball at the top of the femur, that fits into the socket or cavity in the pelvis. Ligaments connect the ball to the socket and stabilize the bones. A problem with any of these areas could cause you significant pain.
OSTEOARTHRITIS
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes the cartilage in your joints to break down. The layer of cartilage is meant to cushion your joints and provide padding, but when it wears down, the ends of the bones rub against one another and cause pain.
While there’s no cure for osteoarthritis, there are non-operative treatment methods that can reduce the pain you experience.
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the lining of the joint called the synovium becomes inflamed. When inflammation occurs, the synovium thickens and releases chemicals that damage the cartilage and bone. It also causes pain and swelling, which limits motion.
FRACTURE
A hip fracture can occur in the upper portion of your thigh bone, or femur. This serious injury often results from a fall and is painful. There are many factors that can increase your chance of a hip fracture, such as age, disease, and being a woman. A woman is two to three times more likely to suffer a hip fracture than a man. After you’ve reached the age of 50, your chances increase and double every five years.
Hip fracture surgery is done to repair a break in the upper part of the thigh bone.
OSTEOPOROSIS
Osteoporosis causes bones to become progressively weaker, which increases the risk of a fracture. This can occur as part of the aging process and is typically more common in women. If you’re dealing with osteoporosis, your risk of experiencing a fracture in a fall greatly increases.
Osteoporosis can be treated with lifestyle changes, medication, and walking aids. In some cases, patients can benefit from hip replacement surgery.
SPRAIN
A hip strain occurs when one of the muscles supporting the hip joint stretches beyond its limit or tears. The pain you’ll experience will depend on the severity of the strain, which can range from mild to moderate to severe.
If you’re experiencing pain in your hip, upper thigh, or groin area, you could be dealing with any of these common injuries or conditions. While not everything is curable, you can treat your hip pain. Visit your orthopedic physician to get evaluated and receive treatment.
Advanced Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine is dedicated to providing quality care to all patients. If you’re dealing with pain in your hip and are considering surgery, contact us at 281-955-2650 to make an appointment with one of our board certified orthopedic specialists.