Symptom

Hip pain

Damage or wear and tear to any of the elements in your hip joint can result in severe limitations to your mobility or your ability to bear weight on your hip.

As one of the largest joints in the body, your hip joint supports your upper body as you walk, stand, run, bend and stretch. Sometimes called the “ball and socket” joint, your hip joint includes a rounded head of the femur (thighbone) that fits into the acetabulum (a socket in your pelvis).

Your femur and acetabulum are connected by strong bands of tissue called ligaments. The muscles around the joint help to stabilise your hip. A layer of cartilage cushions the ends of  the bones allowing for smooth movement in the joint.

Hips can become damaged or worn in several ways:

  • Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is a degenerative disease and is often referred to as “wear and tear” of a joint as you get older.
  • Osteoarthritis is painful, as joints become stiff and inflamed when the smooth cartilage lining the joints gets damaged. Without the protection of cartilage, the rough surfaces of your bones rub together as you move, causing the pain that is all too common for sufferers.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of autoimmune disease. Your immune system usually fights any infection. Rheumatoid arthritis attacks the cells in your joints making them stiff and swollen. In time joints can be damaged.
  • Hip trauma (fracture or broken hip) caused by an accident or fall.
  • Hip replacement is a very common procedure. Last year alone our Orthopaedic Consultants performed over 5000 hip replacements. 

Please use the information below to find out more information about a specific symptom or treatment:

Symptoms

Treatments

Related conditions

Bursitis

Bursitis is when bursae, fluid filled sacs, become inflamed

Chronic pain

Pain that lasts for longer than three months is called chronic pain. The pain can be a result of illness, an injury or accident or have no apparent trigger. It may vary in intensity and be in any part of your body.

Femoral acetabular impingement (FAI)

Femoral acetabular impingement (FAI) occurs when the bones in your hip joint become uneven, causing greater friction in the joint and restricting smooth movement.

Hip impingement

Hip osteoarthritis

As one of the largest joints in the body, your hip joint supports your upper body as you walk, stand, run, bend and stretch. Sometimes called the “ball and socket” joint, your hip joint includes a rounded head of the femur (thighbone) that fits into the acetabulum (a socket in your pelvis).

Inflammatory arthritis

Inflammatory arthritis is an autoimmune disease. Your body’s normal defence system begin triggers an attack on the cells in the lining of your joints.

Labral tear

An injury to the labrum, the soft tissue that covers the ball and socket joint of the hip, is called a labral tear.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is a degenerative disease and is often referred to as "wear and tear" of a joint as you get older.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis literally means ‘porous bones’ and is one of the most common bone diseases in the world.

Rheumatic Disorders

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common form of inflammatory arthritis. Inflammatory arthritis is an autoimmune disease.

Tendonitis

The tissue that attaches muscles to a bone is called a tendon. Tendonitis is an inflammation of a tendon or the muscles around a tendon.