Hip and joint preservation are procedures whereby an individual’s hip is preserved in its native hip joint in cases where they have certain medical conditions or defects. The goal of this treatment is to delay or prevent the early onset of arthritis or the need for a joint replacement. Other objectives of hip joint preservation include:

• Pain elimination
• Normal motion restoration within the joint
• Improvement in hip functioning

Hip joint preservation treats a variety of conditions that affect people from 15 years of age to 65 years, and to athletes who are involved in activities that require extreme hip motions such as hockey, golf, soccer, gymnastics, cycling, and long-distance running.

Conditions that are treated with hip joint preservation include:

• Labral tears

The hip is comprised of a socket and ball joint. The head of the thigh bone (femur) forms a ball that fits into the cup-shaped socket of the acetabulum or socket. The labrum is a rubbery tissue (fibrocartilage) that lines the rim of the socket and keeps the femur in position. It can be torn from the joint leading to ache or pain in the groin or the buttocks. It can also cause the leg to feel like it’s clicking in the hip joint as it moves. A labral tear can result from a single injury or repetitive minor injuries.

• Hip impingement

This is a condition characterized by a structural abnormality of abnormal bone growth in the hip joint which results in harmful friction between the acetabulum and the femoral head.

• Osteoarthritis

This is wear and tear arthritis in which cartilage in the hip joint gradually wears away over time. It can be caused by a single injury or several minor injuries over time.

Symptoms of Hip Pain/Conditions

Symptoms associated with hip conditions/defects include:

• Joint pain
• Groin pain
• Limping
• Loss of hip motion
• Swelling over the hip
• Warmth
• Difficulty sleeping on a particular hip
• Tenderness of the hip

Diagnosing Hip Defects

The symptoms associated with hip conditions or defects can be relatively mild and can last for years without being detected.

Diagnosing hip pain will involve the orthopedic specialist inquiring about your medical history and performing a physical examination which will include observing the joint in motion.

Other tests can be done which include fluid and imaging tests. Fluid tests involve taking samples of urine, blood, and joint fluid for testing. Imaging tests include CT scans, X-rays, ultrasound, and MRI scans which provide detailed views of the bone, cartilage, and other tissues.

Hip Joint Preservation Procedures

Hip joint preservation includes different types of treatment options for hip joint injuries. Each treatment is customized based on the patient’s health, age, activity level, and extent of joint damage.

There are non-surgical and surgical treatment options.

Nonsurgical treatments: These include manual, physical, and aquatic therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, injections, and active release technique.

Surgical treatments

• Hip Arthroscopy: This is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that involves making small incisions and inserting an arthroscope (camera) and small instruments for the surgery inside the hip. This treatment technique is used to address hip impingement, labral tears, articular cartilage abnormalities, or soft cartilage.
• Surgical dislocation: Dislocating the hip provides the surgeon with a better view and deep reach into the joint to address the hip abnormalities.
• Osteotomy: This involves realigning the bones in the hip to improve the distribution of forces on the cartilage surface. This can reduce pain and instability as well as delay or eliminate the need for a hip replacement.
• Cartilage restoration: This is done when the cartilage is not healthy and various techniques can be done to try and save them. They include osteochondral allograft transplant, microfracture, and chondrocyte implantation.

Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons at King’s specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of injuries as well as degenerative conditions affecting the hip and groin, including hip joint preservation procedures.

The specialists have extensive knowledge of the full range of hip and groin disorders, and will help you find the ideal medical solution for your condition. You can get in touch by filling in the form below.