Osteoarthritis of the Hip

• Pain that is worse after strenuous exercise or in the morning (making you feel as though you have ‘seized up’)
• Locking of the joint or a crunching noise when you walk (caused by loose fragments of cartilage getting caught within the hip mechanism)
• Swelling around the joint
• Difficulty walking, bending, and shifting between sitting and standing
• Difficulty sleeping
• Anxiety or depression

What causes osteoarthritis of the hip?

For most patients at Alex Dodd’s private Gloucestershire hip clinic, their osteoarthritis will be a familiar story of wear and tear, perhaps made worse by increasing age, obesity or a family history of osteoarthritis.

We know that those patients who have spent a lot of their working life standing or lifting heavy loads are at increased risk of developing hip osteoarthritis. A hip injury can also increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis in later life.

How do you diagnose osteoarthritis of the hip?

Visit our Cheltenham hip clinic and Alex will diagnose osteoarthritis using a combination of physical examination and X-ray.

How to reduce symptoms of hip osteoarthritis without surgery

Hip pain often develops over time and can feel particularly acute when you put your hip joint under increased stress. By reducing the stress your hip joint experiences, you may be able to reduce the pain in your hip and potentially reduce the progression of osteoarthritis.

You can reduce the strain on your hip in a number of ways:

Reduce weight: Being overweight increases the load on your hip and knee joints, increasing the chances you’ll develop osteoarthritis in your hip and/or knees and increasing the rate of progression of the condition. Managing your weight is one of the most effective things you can do to reduce hip pain.

Exercise / physiotherapy: Alex will often meet patients at his Gloucestershire hip clinic who have stopped exercising because the pain is too severe. It’s vitally important to break this vicious circle before you reach this point.

Low-impact exercise can have a powerful effect on joints and weight loss. It can help strengthen the joint, increase (or protect) your range of movement and prevent osteoarthritic joints from worsening. By contrast, the less you exercise due to arthritis pain, the weaker the muscles around the joint will become and the greater the likelihood that pain will increase.

Book an appointment at our Gloucestershire hip surgery and Alex may recommend a course of physiotherapy, tailoring the therapy to your specific needs.

Choose supportive footwear: Avoid high heels and choose thick-soled, cushioned footwear that helps to reduce the shock forces travelling to your hip.

Switch sides for carrying: If you need to carry loads, do it on the opposite side to your painful hip.

Switch activities: Exercise may often be good for painful joints, but not all activities are a good idea. If you’re used to high impact activities such as running, tennis or skiing, switch to lower impact activities like swimming or walking.

Pace yourself: If you’re planning a lot of housework, gardening or DIY, do it in stages. Exercise is very good for painful hips (see above) so don’t worry too much about a little discomfort, but take regular breaks and stop before the pain becomes significant.

Use a walking stick: A stick can help take some of the strain off your painful hip. Place the stick on the opposite side to the affected joint.

How to alleviate hip pain without surgery

Simple over-the-counter pain relief (paracetamol and/or ibuprofen) may help alleviate mild pain in the early stages of osteoarthritis, although you should avoid prolonged use of ibuprofen.

You may find supplements (turmeric, fish oil, glucosamine) help reduce pain. There is some evidence for the effects of turmeric, but other supplements have little medical evidence behind them. Despite this, some patients feel they have benefitted from their use.

If the condition worsens, a steroidal injection such as cortisone may help to alleviate pain for prolonged periods.

Talk to your Cheltenham hip consultant to explore pain relief options.

Hip replacement in the Cotswolds, Cheltenham & Gloucester

In a total hip replacement, your Gloucestershire hip surgeon removes the damaged ball and socket and replaces them with implants of titanium, ceramic and plastic. The result is a new hip joint that should last for at least 15 years*. Evidence suggests more than 50% of hip replacements last at least 25 years**.

Alex uses the Zimmer CPT system, a system which has been proven over 25 years and delivers near frictionless movement.

Do hip replacements work?

According to the Arthritis Foundation***:

• 90% of patients who had moderate pain before their first surgery reported mild or no pain after five years.
• 89% of patients with severe pain before their first surgery reported mild or no pain after five years.

Some patients may continue to experience limitations in hip function after surgery, meaning walking, climbing stairs or getting in or out of a car may continue to present challenges. According to the Arthritis Foundation, 7% of patients with moderate limitations and 20% of patients with severe limitations before surgery had severe limitations five years after surgery.

* https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hip-replacement/
** https://www.hey.nhs.uk/patient-leaflet/total-hip-replacement-benefits-risks-outcome/
*** https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/treatment/joint-surgery/after-surgery/hip-replacement-success-rates

Talk to Alex Dodds, Gloucestershire hip surgeon

If you are worried about pain at the side of your hip, or in your groin or buttocks, book an appointment at our private hip surgery for Cheltenham, Gloucester and the Cotswolds.