Hip

What is hip preservation?

Hip preservation involves orthopaedic procedures in which your surgeon can prolong the lifespan of your hips, so you can avoid or delay hip replacement. Hip preservation treatments help maintain the integrity of your hip lining and prevent severe arthritic deterioration.

Why might I require hip preservation?

If you experience severe or chronic hip pain but would like to avoid hip replacement surgery, you might be a good candidate for hip preservation. Signs and symptoms of a hip injury or arthritis include:

• Dull, aching pain
• Sharp or severe hip pain
• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Redness
• Decreased mobility
• Diminished range of motion

Your orthopaedic specialist at Western Orthopaedics, P.C., lets you know if you’re a good candidate for hip preservation procedures based on your activity level, age, and severity of hip damage. If you experience minor hip wear and tear, hip preservation might be right for you.

Western Orthopaedics, P.C., focuses on hip preservation and uses all available methods for patients, but if hip disease progresses beyond the limitations of hip preservation measures, you may require a hip replacement.

How are hip injuries diagnosed?

To diagnose the type and severity of a hip injury, your orthopaedic surgeon reviews your medical history, asks about your symptoms, and examines your hips. Common hip injuries include:

• Labral tears
• Dislocation
• Bone or cartilage damage
• Impingement 
• Loose cartilage
• Fractures
• Dysplasia

Your doctor might use blood tests or imaging procedures, such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs, to diagnose your condition. Signs and symptoms of hip damage include redness, swelling, reduced mobility, and pain.

What should I expect during hip preservation?

Follow your doctor’s instructions prior to a hip preservation procedure. Your surgeon might instruct you to stop taking certain medications and avoid eating and drinking the day of surgery. Find a friend or family member to drive you home.

Hip preservation often uses arthroscopic procedures to repair hip damage and prevent future injuries. Your doctor makes a tiny incision and may use an arthroscope, or tiny tube attached to a camera, to view the inside of your joint, clean it out, and repair damage. 

The procedure might take several hours to complete. Your surgeon closes the incision sites with sutures or adhesive tape.

If you’re a good candidate for regenerative medicine, you may receive stem cell or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections instead of, or combined with, minimally invasive hip preservation surgery.

What happens during recovery?

After a hip preservation procedure, follow your doctor’s instructions. Have somebody drive you home after arthroscopy. Take medications as prescribed, ice the treatment area, attend follow-up appointments, and attend physical therapy sessions to accelerate healing and prevent re-injury.

You might use crutches for a few weeks after surgery, but can often return to strenuous physical activity or playing sports within four to six months.

Don’t let hip problems progress to the point of requiring a hip replacement. Schedule a hip preservation consultation with the experts at Western Orthopaedics, P.C., over the phone or request an appointment online today.

What are the signs that’s something wrong in my hip?

While the answer to this question may seem obvious — hip pain — there are signs that provide valuable clues for your orthopaedist at Western Orthopaedics, P.C., such as the location of your hip pain, which can be: 

• In the front of your hip
• On the outside of your hip
• In your groin
• Over your buttocks

Aside from the hip pain, you may also experience:

• Swelling and discomfort in your thighs and knees
• Inflammation in your joint
• Hip muscle spasms
• Limping
• Loss of range of motion
• Pain while you sleep
• Fever, redness, and warmth around your hips

It’s important that you note these characteristics so that your joint specialist has a complete picture of the problem and can begin diagnosis.

What are the most common causes of hip pain?

There are many conditions that can lead to hip pain, including:

• Dislocation or fracture
• Arthritis
• Bursitis
• Tendonitis
• Labral tear
• Femoroacetabular impingement

To determine the source of your hip pain, Western Orthopaedics, P.C., uses the latest diagnostic tools, including in-house X-rays.

How is hip pain treated?

There’s no single answer to this question as it depends upon the source of your pain. For example, if you’ve dislocated or fractured your hip, rest and medications, followed by physical therapy, is the typical course of action.

If, however, you’re dealing with a chronic or degenerative condition, such as arthritis, the goal at Western Orthopaedics, P.C., is to restore pain-free movement, which your provider accomplishes through:

• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Corticosteroid injections
• Physical therapy

Should these conservative measures prove ineffective, your hip specialist may recommend hip replacement surgery. Every year in the United States, doctors perform approximately 300,000 total hip replacements, making it a fairly common procedure. 

Western Orthopaedics, P.C., uses the latest tools, including arthroscopy, which is a minimally invasive technique that speeds recovery and minimizes tissue damage. In fact, hip replacement surgery is often the best way to restore full function to this important joint, and new materials ensure that your new hip joint will go the distance.

If you’re struggling with hip pain, call Western Orthopaedics, P.C., or use the online scheduling tool to set up an appointment.

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