Hip Osteoarthritis Treatment & Relief

What is Hip Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and can develop in any joint but is most common in weight bearing joints such as your hips.

Osteoarthritis of the hip causes pain and stiffness. It can make it hard to do everyday activities like bending over to tie a shoe, rising from a chair or taking a short walk.

Because osteoarthritis gradually worsens over time, the sooner you start treatment, the more likely it is that you can lessen its impact on your life. Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis, there are many treatment options to help you manage pain and stay active.

Anatomy

Hips are one of the largest joints in the body. They are called “ball and socket” joints because the head of your thigh bone (femur is shaped like a ball that fits inside a rounded socket (acetabulum) in your pelvis.

The bone surfaces of the ball and socket are covered with articular cartilage, a smooth, slippery substance that protects and cushions the bones and enables them to move easily.

The surface of the joint is covered by a thin lining called the synovium. In a healthy hip, the synovium produces a small amount of fluid that lubricates the cartilage and aids in movement.

Hip osteoarthritis is a condition where the protective cartilage that cushions the hip joint gradually wears away over time. When this cartilage thins or is lost, the bones of the hip may start to rub against each other, which can cause pain, stiffness and swelling. Movement may become more difficult, and simple activities like walking, climbing stairs or getting in and out of chairs can start to feel challenging.

Causes

There is no single cause, but there are certain factors that may increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis of the hip, including:

Age – osteoarthritis occurs more often in people over 45
Family history of osteoarthritis
Previous injury to the hip joint
Gender – 3 in 5 people who develop osteoarthritis are female
Being overweight or obese
Improper formation of the hip joint at birth, a condition known as hip dysplasia

You can still develop osteoarthritis even if you don’t have any of the risk factors listed above.

While hip osteoarthritis is a long-term condition, there are many ways to manage symptoms and maintain activity, including exercise, lifestyle changes, medications, and supportive treatments, helping most people continue to enjoy their normal activities and quality of life.

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Symptoms

Hip osteoarthritis is very common, especially as people get older and it can develop gradually over many years. The pain may come and go at first but can become more persistent over time. In addition to physical discomfort, the condition can affect your daily routine, limit your activity and sometimes impact your emotional wellbeing, as it can be frustrating to cope with ongoing pain or reduced mobility.

The symptoms of hip osteoarthritis vary from person to person but could include:

Pain in the hip, groin, thigh, or buttock, often worse with activity or at the end of the day
Stiffness, particularly after resting or in the morning
Reduced range of motion in the hip
Difficulty walking, climbing stairs, or performing other everyday activities
Occasionally, a sensation of grinding or clicking in the joint

Diagnosis

Hip osteoarthritis is usually diagnosed through:

An assessment of symptoms (pain severity, activity limitations and impact on daily life), how long you’ve had them and what makes them better or worse.
Imaging: X-rays can show cartilage loss, bone changes, or joint space narrowing.

If you’re experiencing pain or stiffness in or around your hip, it’s important that you get a diagnosis as soon as possible so that treatment can start quickly. Early intervention will give you the best possible outcome.

Treatment Options

There is no cure of osteoarthritis, however there are many treatment options available to manage your symptoms allowing you to maintain an active lifestyle. Here are some things you should consider:

Weight Loss

Being overweight can make your symptoms worse. Keep to your ideal weight, therefore modest weight loss can noticeably reduce symptoms.

Exercise, Physiotherapy and Strengthening

Regular exercise is one of the most important strategies for managing osteoarthritis of the hip. It is important to find the right balance between rest and exercise. To protect your sore joints, try low impact activities such as cycling, walking, swimming or aqua aerobics.

Strengthening exercises can strengthen the muscles around the hip, improve flexibility and support joint stability. This helps to reduce pain, improve mobility and make daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs, or getting in and out of chairs easier.

A tailored program developed by a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist can help reduce hip pain and improve hip function.

Activity Modifications

Adjusting daily activities can protect the knee joint and reduce discomfort. Examples include pacing tasks, using supportive footwear, avoiding high-impact movements and incorporating regular rest breaks.

If your pain varies from day to day, it can be tempting to take on too much on your good days, leading to more pain afterwards. Learn to pace yourself. If there are jobs that often increase your pain, try to break them down, allow time for rest breaks and alternate with jobs that you find easier. Or think about other ways of doing a job that would cause less pain.

Medications

Pain and inflammation can be managed with medications such as paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or other prescription options depending on individual needs. Always speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking these medicines as they may be harmful to some people.

Injections

For persistent symptoms, injections may provide relief:

Steroid injections: Reduce inflammation and pain for several weeks to months
Hyaluronic acid injections: Lubricate the joint, improving movement and comfort
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections: May promote healing and reduce pain in some cases

Aids, Supports and Hot or Cold Therapy

Wear suitable footwear, the best choice of footwear if you have knee osteoarthritis is well fitted, flat shoes with a cushioned, flexible sole and arch support. If you have particular problems with your feet, then it’s worth seeing a podiatrist for more specific advice.

Walking sticks or canes can be used to reduce hip pain. Always use the waking stick on the opposite side to your sore hip.

There’s a range of different splints, braces and supports available for painful joints. These can be particularly helpful if osteoarthritis has affected the alignment of a joint. It’s best to seek professional advice from before choosing one, so you can be sure it’s suitable for your needs.

Applying hot or cold packs to the joints may relieve the pain and symptoms of osteoarthritis in some people. A hot-water bottle filled with either hot or cold water and applied to the affected area can be very effective in reducing pain.

Surgical Options

Most people with osteoarthritis of the hip won’t need surgery and it’s usually only considered if all non-surgical treatments have failed, and hip pain and reduced hip function impact your quality of life. In this case we will be able to refer you to and orthopaedic surgeon to discuss your options.

A total joint replacement of the hip is the most common type of surgery for hip osteoarthritis. In advanced osteoarthritis, the damaged joint surfaces can be replaced with artificial components to relieve pain, improve mobility and restore function. It is important to note that a total hip replacement is a major surgery and requires you to commit to months of rehabilitation.

Next Steps

If you are living with hip osteoarthritis, our experienced team at Ortho & Arthritis Solutions are here to guide you through the diagnosis, management and treatment options.

We provide individually tailored and personalised treatment plans for effective management and to get you back on your feet. Contact Ortho & Arthritis Solutions today.