Hip Pain

  • Condtions
  • Hip Pain

Your hips, along with your knees, bear your full body weight and have a wide range of motion making them susceptible to injury and arthritis. Joint Replacement Network board-certified orthopedic surgeons are experienced experts for the full range of hip problems associated with sports, aging, trauma, and arthritis. Our goal is maximum recovery of hip function with diligent follow-up after surgery and a customized rehabilitation program to get you back to your normal activities as quickly as possible.

At Joint Replacement Network, we work together to provide comprehensive care for the full range of athletic, degenerative, and traumatic disorders of the hip. Feel confident in our long history of providing orthopaedic care and pioneering surgical techniques to Michiana. We provide patients access to the most up-to-date implants and technology available for quicker recovery and longer prosthetic life.

Card Image Hip Hip Fracture

Common Conditions

  • Avascular Necrosis (SVN) of the Hip
  • Femoral Fractures
  • Hip Bursitis
  • Labral Tears of the Hip
  • Osteoarthritis of the Hip
  • Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE)

Common Procedures

  • Femur Fracture Fixation
  • Hip Arthroscopy
  • Mini Total Hip Replacement
  • Revision Hip Surgery

Causes of hip pain

Arthritis

The primary cause of hip pain is arthritis, specifically osteoarthritis. Arthritis is the most common chronic condition and is characterized by inflammation of the joints. Common causes of arthritis include wear and tear on the bones and joint cartilage, most often when the body has too much weight to support. This can be caused by carrying heavy loads consistently for years but is more commonly a byproduct of being overweight.

Common Arthritis Myths

  • Only older people have arthritis.

  • Arthritis is caused by cold, wet weather.

  • Each day is the same for an arthritis patient.

  • Arthritis is a minor physical inconvenience.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting over 21 million Americans. Three times as many women suffer from the disease than men.

Osteoarthritis occurs when the covering on the ends of bones gradually wears away, becoming frayed and rough. It typically develops due to many years of use and affects people middle-aged and older. Osteoarthritis targets hands and weight-bearing joints, such as knees, hips, feet and back.

Risk Factors

  • Age- 45 yrs or older

  • Gender- majority of sufferers are women

  • Certain hereditary conditions including defective cartilage and malformed joints

  • Joint injuries caused by physical labor or sports

  • Obesity

  • Diseases that alter normal structure and function of cartilage

Symptoms (usually come on slowly)

  • Pain and inflammation

  • Pain may develop gradually and feel like a deep ache.

  • Swelling and stiffness

  • May be worse in the morning and feel better with activity

  • Loss of range of motion

  • “Sticking” and weakness

  • Loose fragments of cartilage and other tissue can cause locking or “sticking."

  • Joint may lose strength and buckle or lock.

Understanding symptoms

What do symptoms mean? Can you self-diagnose your hip problem? How can you decide if you need to see a doctor for your hip pain?

Here is some helpful information.

  • Indicators of a serious problem

  • The pain causes you to limp

  • The legs feel as though they are different lengths

  • You have a limited range of motion in the hip and you hear creaking noises when move it

  • Rest relieves the pain and using it hurts

  • The hip feels stiff

Misleading Symptoms

Some symptoms that may seem like a hip problem may actually be a more severe back problem. Be sure to check out all persisting hip pain with a specialist. For instance, a tingling or numb sensation in the hip or upper thighs may actually be a symptom of spine damage. Also, when pain does not lessen when lying down or sitting in a way that relieves pressure, than the problem my be rooted in the back, not the hip. This type of pain should be treated immediately.

Hip prevention

One of the main ways to avoid hip pain in the first place is by maintaining a healthy weight and living an active lifestyle. Below are some tips to help maintain good health.

Overall good health

The key to keeping a hip problem at is to stay relatively active and to eat right. The US Government notes that 56 percent of Americans are overweight.

Scientifically speaking, our hips form and develop in mass and strength in proportion to the amount of weight our body was designed to hold. So, if you are a small woman, your hips are meant to hold a smaller amount of weight than if you are a six-foot tall man. Although the body is very adaptable and can learn to hold different weights, a point can be reached where the body is simply not comfortable supporting the excess weight.

Let's talk BMI, or Body Mass Index. BMI is the number you come up with when you divide how much you weigh in kilograms by how tall you are in centimeters squared. The number you come up with is your BMI. A BMI between 18.5 and 25 is considered in the normal range. A BMI above 25 is considered overweight and a BMI of 30 or more is classified as obesity. To find your BMI, there are several calculators on the Internet including the BMI recommendations from the Surgeon General.