Diagnosis

The three most common ailments or injury that occur to the hip are fracture, arthritis, and overuse injuries such as bursitis.

Hip fractures often occur, but have been more closely linked recently to osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis, also commonly called degenerative joint disease, it is the most common form of arthritis, and affects more than 20 million Americans. The disease gradually wears away the protective covering of the joint ends articular cartilage). Once the cartilage wears away, it typically does not regenerate, leaving the individual with painful bone on bone contact.

Over use injuries occur from repeating the same activity. The repeated activity stresses the hip joint, and often causes irritation. Examples of overuse injuries are irritation of the large sac that separates the hipbones from the muscles and tendons of the thighs and buttocks which are referred to as trochanteric bursitis, and irritation of the tendons in the hip causing tendinitis.

Symptoms

It is hard to neglect the symptoms of a hip fracture. After the fracture occurs, the individual will most likely have severe pain in the hip or lower groin area, and will likely have a difficult time walking or being weight bearing.

Falls cause the highest amount of hip fractures in older adults. As you get older, your bones naturally lose some strength and rigidity, and are more likely to break, even from a minor fall.

Roughly 27 million people in the United States are afflicted with osteoarthritis of a joint, and approximately 80% of the population will exhibit some symptom of osteoarthritis by the age of 65. While any joint is susceptible, weight bearing joints such as the knee and hip, are the most frequently exposed to the disease.

Osteoarthritis is commonly described as the degeneration of articular cartilage; the tissue that cushions either side of two bones at the joint. As the disease progresses, the cartilage itself becomes thinner and in some cases may completely wear away. As this happens, it creates a bone on bone friction in the joint, which is often very uncomfortable.

Examples of overuse injuries are irritation of the large sac that separates the hipbones from the muscles and tendons of the thighs and buttocks which are referred to as trochanteric bursitis, and irritation of the tendons in the hip causing tendinitis.

Treatments

Osteoarthritis while painful, can be managed, and with some diet changes, supplements and clinic intervention can be manageable for a period of time. In most cases, patients will elect to move forward with surgical intervention which is commonly known as total hip replacement.

Hip replacement surgery is a procedure in which a doctor surgically removes the entire hip joint and replaces it with an artificial joint. It usually is done when all other treatment options have failed to provide adequate relief.

Bursitis and overuse injuries can often be treated with a change in physical activity or exertion of that particular joint in conjunction with closely monitored physical therapy and stretching exercises.