Hip Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Hip osteoarthritis is a common presenting pathology in orthopedic practice, with 88 per 100,000 presenting with symptomatic disease on a yearly basis. Risk factors for hip osteoarthritis are considered “modifiable” and “non-modifiable.” Modifiable risk factors include muscle weakness, heavy physical stress, and high impact athletics. Non-modifiable factors include gender (females more often than males), increased age, and developmental/acquired deformities such as hip dysplasia, slipped femoral capital epiphysis, and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. There are classic radiographic findings for hip osteoarthritis and management ranges from conservative (physical therapy, scheduled NSAID use, and weight loss) to operative intervention (total hip arthroplasty).