Hip Osteoarthritis (Coxarthrosis)
Hip osteoarthritis is a normal wear and tear of the hip joint. Osteoarthritis is often described as the wearing away of cartilage between our bones. While this is true, it involves more than just cartilage. Cartilage is a tissue that acts like a cushion between the surfaces of our bones, allowing our joints to glide smoothly and move with ease.
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Synonym for hip osteoarthritis:
- Coxarthrosis
What is hip osteoarthritis?
It's normal wear and tear of the hip joint. Osteoarthritis is often described as the wearing away of cartilage between our bones. This is true, but it's more than just the cartilage. Cartilage is a tissue that acts like a cushion between the surfaces of our bones, allowing our joints to glide and move smoothly.
With the development of osteoarthritis, it is true that the cartilage will be more worn. However, all the structures that form the hip joint can be affected by osteoarthritis. Therefore, we can have degenerative changes in the cartilage, bone, ligaments, capsule, synovial membrane, and muscles around the joint.
What are the symptoms of hip osteoarthritis?
It's important to understand that osteoarthritis doesn't always cause symptoms. Many people live with osteoarthritis and feel absolutely nothing.
Does that surprise you? Read our blog post to learn more (coming soon).
When osteoarthritis is symptomatic, here is what people may experience:
- Pain that is often in the groin area and appears gradually
- Hip stiffness that is often worse in the morning or after a period of inactivity
- Morning stiffness usually improves with movement in less than 30 minutes.
- Decreased hip flexibility
- You may feel creaking or cracking in the hip when moving.
- The pain can sometimes radiate to the buttock, thigh, or knee.
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"In general, men develop osteoarthritis before age 50, while women mainly develop osteoarthritis after menopause after age 50."
What are the risk factors for developing hip bursitis?
Aging is the main factor that causes osteoarthritis, regardless of the joint in the body.
« From the age of 45-50, the majority of people have osteoarthritis in their hip. However, osteoarthritis doesn't develop overnight. It's a process that occurs gradually over several years. »
Here are some risk factors that increase the chances of developing hip osteoarthritis more quickly or severely:
- A previous hip injury (fracture, sprain, surgery)
- Women are more at risk than men
- Obesity
- Inactivity
- Participating in high-impact sports
- Certain inflammatory diseases
How is hip osteoarthritis diagnosed?
Hip osteoarthritis can be diagnosed based on a description of your symptoms and a physical examination. An X-ray of the hip can also show signs of osteoarthritis, but it is not mandatory for diagnosing hip osteoarthritis. It is important to know that what is seen on X-rays or other types of imaging is not always relevant.
When should I see a physiotherapist for hip osteoarthritis?
You should consult a physiotherapist if you have symptoms as described above or if your doctor has already ruled out any other cause that may be responsible for your pain.
You do not need to see a doctor before consulting a physiotherapist. If your condition requires you to see a doctor, your physiotherapist will be able to tell you.
What are the physiotherapy treatments for hip osteoarthritis?
The best treatment for osteoarthritis symptoms is movement.
Your physiotherapist will perform an assessment to determine why your osteoarthritis is causing you pain. To do this, they will assess the following elements:
- Your joint mobility
- The gliding of your nerves
- The quality of your movements
- Your strength and stability
Based on the assessment results, your physiotherapist will:
- Mobilize your hip to reduce pain and improve your range of motion.
- Provide you with specific exercises to retrain the control of your hip movements.
- Give you exercises to regain mobility, reduce pain and regain your muscle strength.
- Will teach you how to properly manage your daily activities and hobbies to optimize recovery.
- Give you advice for your posture and movements.
"It is important to note that we do not cure osteoarthritis as such, because it is a wear and tear process that does not reverse itself. However, we can completely eliminate the symptoms associated with hip osteoarthritis with treatment, even if the osteoarthritis is still present in the joints."
What to do at home for hip osteoarthritis?
The best thing to do is to be active. If you are sedentary, start by taking regular walks and doing mobility exercises for your hip and legs, respecting the pain each day. If you are already active, continue your activities that do not cause too much pain.
Here are some other tips that may help at home:
- Temporarily stop doing the movements that cause too much pain, and then gradually start doing them again.
- Limit the time spent in the same position for more than an hour (computer, television, reading). Get up often for a few minutes to move around.
- Do physical activity every day according to your tolerance level. This remains the best remedy for osteoarthritis symptoms.
- If you are a runner, please refer to the blog post on running (link to come) for practical tips for running.
How can I reduce my chances of developing hip osteoarthritis later in life?
If you are still quite young, you have the power to reduce your risk of developing osteoarthritis later in life. If you are older, these tips will certainly help you reduce your chances of having symptoms, even with your osteoarthritis.
Here are the best tips to follow from a young age and to continue throughout your life to reduce your chances of developing osteoarthritis:
- Stay active regularly throughout your life.
- This is certainly the most important factor. Your joints are nourished by movement and become stronger through movement.
- Here are some targets to aim for regarding physical activity, according to Canadian recommendations:
- 150 minutes per week of moderate to high intensity cardio activity
- Stand as often as possible (this counts as light activity)
- Do strength training with exercises that include large muscle groups 2x/week
- Limit sitting time to 8 hours/day
- Maintain a healthy weight (this will vary greatly from person to person)
- Avoid accumulating multiple joint injuries such as sprains, fractures, and surgeries
- Adopt healthy eating habits (refer to a nutritionist or the Canadian Food Guide)
To learn more...
You can listen to the podcast created by one of our physiotherapists, Alexis Gougeon.
Episode #15 is about osteoarthritis.
Find the episode on YouTube :
Click below to listen to episodes on podcast platforms:
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Sources
- Lespasio MJ, Sultan AA, Piuzzi NS,Khlopas A, Husni ME, Muschler GF, Mont MA. Hip osteoarthritis: a primer. The Permanente Journal. 2018;22
- Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (25-01-2021). Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults ages 18-64 years : An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep. https://csepguidelines.ca/adults-18-64/
Videos in this category
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