Hip arthritis
What is it?
Arthritis is inflammation of your joints. There are many types of arthritis; the most common type of hip arthritis is osteoarthritis (OA).
The parts of your thigh bone and pelvis that that meet at your hip joint are covered in cartilage. The cartilage allows the ends of your bones to move against each other smoothly. If you have osteoarthritis, your cartilage gradually roughens and becomes thinner.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of hip osteoarthritis are pain and stiffness in your hip. You may have some pain in other areas, such as around the side or front of your thigh, and down to your knee. The pain may be worse after you have been exercising.
Causes
The exact reasons why osteoarthritis develops aren't fully understood at present. It's thought to be caused by a combination of factors. We know that your risk of getting osteoarthritis increases as you get older. It's also thought to run in families. An injury to your hip joint may make it more likely that you will get osteoarthritis in your hip in later life.
Treatment
Taking pain killers, such paracetamol and ibuprofen, will help to reduce the pain and swelling. Always read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine and if you have any questions, ask your pharmacist for advice.
Your doctor may refer you to a physiotherapist, who will show you some exercises you can do to help reduce the pain.
Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements may relieve mild to moderate symptoms of osteoarthritis, although there is only limited evidence that they are effective. These chemicals are found naturally in cartilage and it's thought that taking supplements may improve the condition of damaged cartilage. Glucosamine comes from shellfish so don't take it if you have a shellfish allergy.
Do
- Eat a healthy balanced diet and try to keep to your weight as close as possible to the ideal weight for your height and age. If you're overweight, there will be extra strain on your hips, so it's more likely that your osteoarthritis will get worse.
- Exercise regularly. But rest if your hip becomes painful.
- Wear well-cushioned shoes or trainers to act as a shock absorber.
Don't
- Do any activities that put a lot of strain on your hip.
Peer reviewed by Simon Fairthorne, MCSP, Bupa Sports Medicine physiotherapist
Publication date: June 2009
