Hip
Hips are necessary for everyday movement. They allow us to perform everything from bending to rotating. A hip injury makes it impossible to carry out everyday tasks. When left untreated, this discomfort can fully inhibit movement and affect your quality of life.
At Southwest Orthopedic Group, we offer a wide-range of services to ensure your hip joints are in great condition.
Conditions
Hip Arthritis: Hip arthritis is characterized by pain and stiffness in the hips, and often extends in the lower back and buttocks. This is due to the natural breaking down of cartilage tissue. Obesity is another common cause of hip arthritis.
Hip Fracture: The breaking up of the thigh bone, commonly called the femur, leads to hip fracture. Common causes of a hip fracture include slipping or falling among old people, and traumatic injuries for younger people. Hip replacements may be recommended for patients 60 and up.
Hip Dislocation: Vehicle collisions and sports injuries are among the most common causes of hip dislocation. This happens when the ball of the head of the femur is moved out of its socket. Fortunately, surgery is not needed to reposition the femur.
Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI): Also called bone overgrowth, FAI is a condition characterized by an extra bone that causes abnormal contact between hip bones, which inhibits movement and prevents a normal range of motion.
Hip Labral Tear: The labrum is the soft tissue that encompasses the acetabulum or the socket of the hip. A hip labral tear is often treated nonsurgically, except for severe cases that may require more intrusive procedures.
Snapping Hip: This syndrome is characterized by a sharp snapping sensation due to the extension of the hips. Discomfort and pain accompany an audible popping noise of the hip. This condition can be treated nonsurgically. Patients are recommended to see a doctor if the pain continues after a few weeks.
Cartilage Defects/Flaps: Cartilage defects can happen on the acetabulum or the femoral part of the joint. Majority of the cartilage defects on acetabulum area are due to femoroacetabular impingement or FAI. Often a chronic condition, FAI happens when the hip bone and socket don’t match in size. Femoral defects, though less common, are harder to treat and are often caused by trauma such as car incidents.
Inflammation of the Hip Lining (Synovitis): The hip is lined with a membrane called the synovial membrane. Release of fluid may cause the synovial membrane to swell up. In some cases, synovitis may only be an after-effect of other kinds of structural damage in the hips. It is also possible for the synovitis to become the primary cause of joint pain.
IT Band Syndrome: Also known as iliotibial band syndrome, IT band happens when tissues located in the knee or outer thigh are overused. This is a common condition among athletes. IT band can be treated through physical therapy and rest.
Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis: Joint linings in the knee and hip can sometimes swell up and grow. When this happens, the bone next to the lining receives pressure, which results to pain and discomfort. Benign tumors can grow on the tendon sheaths of a joint, which is more common in smaller bones like the fingers, and more rarely in larger bones like the knee and hip.
Osteonecrosis: Interrupted blood flow to the hip bone causes osteonecrosis or avascular necrosis. Common causes include dislocation, the abuse of anti-inflammatory drugs, and excess alcohol consumption. When left untreated, the absence of blood supply to the bone eventually leads to the bone’s collapse.
Infection: Bacteria, virus, and fungi can find their way into the bone and infect the hip. A bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus is the most common source of hip infections in children. According to studies, only 1 in 3,000 children get a hip infection, making it an incredibly uncommon condition.
Muscle strains. This occurs when the surrounding muscles such as the hamstrings are overexerted. Although indirect, stress on the nearby muscles can cause tension and discomfort at the hips.
Hip bursitis: Caused by inflammation of the outer hip joint. Treatment of this is easy and often effective. However, the condition can come back and cause more discomfort in the future.
Hip pointer: Directly hitting the hip can injure the pelvis. Bruising around the bone results in pain.
Work Injuries: Active jobs that require heavy lifting, bending, and pivoting can result in work-related hip injuries, which can be classified into two types: sudden-impact injuries (due to falling or twisting) or injuries that are sustained and aggravated over time. Among the most common injuries are strains to the hips and dislocation.
Trauma: Trauma is caused by damage to the cartilage and surrounding bones. Falling, twisting, and the over-exaggeration of the hip are among the common sources of hip trauma.
Treatments
Hip Labral Repair: Labral reconstruction is a kind of grafting procedure. A tissue is sourced from another part of the body (or a donor) and is used to replace the damaged labrum. This is performed when the labrum is too damaged for recovery.
Total Hip Replacement: Also called arthroplasty, total hip replacement is recommended for severe cases of osteoarthritis, osteonecrosis, or trauma. This is performed on adults who have tried non-surgical treatments, but continue to experience pain. Prostheses are inserted into the hip to provide stability and flexibility.
Direct Anterior Hip Replacement: In this procedure, the tendons remain in the hip while surgeons make smaller incisions to repair the joint and tissues. This results in faster recovery time and reduced risk of dislocation.
Hip Arthroscopy: Arthroscopy is a minimally-invasive procedure used to treat labral tears and hip impingement (or FAI). The operation is carried out by making small incisions so surgeons can insert a camera for surgery or diagnostic purposes.
Hip Resurfacing: Instead of removing the femoral head, it is trimmed and smoothed with a metal cover during a hip resurfacing procedure. The bone and cartilage are removed and replaced for better functionality and stability.
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