Hip Arthritis Treatment in Atlanta
Hip arthritis can make walking, sleeping, getting into a car and even putting on shoes increasingly difficult. Our orthopedic surgeons evaluate the entire hip and offer treatment ranging from physical therapy and injections to outpatient total hip replacement.
What Is Hip Arthritis?
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint lined with smooth cartilage. Arthritis develops when that cartilage becomes damaged or gradually wears away, leading to stiffness, inflammation and increasing friction within the joint.
Healthy Hip Joint
Smooth cartilage creates space between the ball and socket and allows the hip to move with minimal friction.
Arthritic Hip Joint
Cartilage loss narrows the joint space. Bone spurs, cysts and changes in the shape of the joint may develop as arthritis progresses.
Where Does Hip Arthritis Hurt?
Hip arthritis does not always feel like pain directly over the outside of the hip. The most classic location is deep in the groin, but discomfort may also spread into the thigh, buttock or knee.
Many patients first notice stiffness rather than severe pain. They may have trouble rotating the leg, getting out of a low chair or reaching their foot.
Common Signs of Hip Arthritis
Symptoms usually develop gradually, although some patients notice a sudden worsening after a period of increased activity or a minor injury.
Symptoms During Daily Activities
Changes as Arthritis Progresses
How Hip Arthritis Is Diagnosed
A careful examination and properly obtained X-rays are usually the most important parts of the evaluation.
Physical Examination
We evaluate where the pain is located, how the patient walks and how much hip motion remains. Loss of internal rotation, groin pain during hip movement and a limp may all suggest that the hip joint is the source of symptoms.
We also assess whether symptoms could be coming from the lower back, the outside of the hip or surrounding tendons.
Standing X-Rays Usually Come First
X-rays can show joint-space narrowing, bone spurs, cysts, deformity and bone-on-bone arthritis. They are often more useful than an MRI for determining the severity of established hip arthritis.
MRI may still be useful when X-rays do not fully explain the symptoms or when there is concern for avascular necrosis, a labral tear, tendon injury or another condition.
What If the MRI Says “Labral Tear”?
Labral tears are common MRI findings in adults. The important question is whether the labrum is the primary problem or whether the tear is part of underlying cartilage loss and arthritis.
Isolated Labral Tear
Younger patients with preserved cartilage and minimal arthritis may have an isolated labral or impingement problem. These patients may benefit from evaluation by a hip-preservation specialist if symptoms continue after nonsurgical treatment.
Labral Tear With Arthritis
In middle-aged and older adults, a labral tear often occurs alongside cartilage thinning, joint-space narrowing and bone-spur formation. Repairing the labrum does not reverse arthritis throughout the joint.
Treatment should therefore be directed toward the condition most responsible for the pain.
Nonsurgical Treatment for Hip Arthritis
Most patients begin with conservative treatment. The goal is to decrease pain, preserve strength and maintain as much normal activity as possible.
Physical Therapy
Therapy may improve hip and core strength, walking mechanics, flexibility and balance. It is often particularly useful when weakness and stiffness contribute to the symptoms.
Medication and Activity Changes
Anti-inflammatory medication may help when medically appropriate. Modifying activities that repeatedly aggravate the joint can also reduce symptoms without requiring complete inactivity.
Hip Cortisone Injection
An image-guided injection into the hip joint may temporarily reduce inflammation and pain. The response may also help confirm how much of the discomfort is coming from inside the hip joint.
Weight and Health Optimization
When appropriate, improving overall health and reducing excess stress across the joint may improve mobility and also help prepare a patient for future surgery if it becomes necessary.
Cane or Walking Support
A cane used in the opposite hand can reduce load across the painful hip. Temporary walking support may allow patients to remain active more comfortably.
Monitoring Symptoms
Arthritis does not require surgery simply because it appears on an X-ray. Treatment decisions are based on pain, function and whether nonsurgical options still provide acceptable relief.
When Is Total Hip Replacement Considered?
Hip replacement becomes reasonable when arthritis is advanced and pain or stiffness substantially interferes with normal life despite appropriate nonsurgical treatment. There is no single pain score or X-ray finding that decides the timing for every patient.
Symptoms Affect Daily Life
Walking, sleeping, working, exercising or caring for yourself has become consistently difficult because of the hip.
Conservative Care Is No Longer Enough
Therapy, medication, injections and activity modification no longer provide meaningful or durable relief.
Imaging Supports the Diagnosis
X-rays show significant cartilage loss, joint-space narrowing or advanced degenerative changes that match the clinical symptoms.
The Patient Is Ready
The decision is made after the patient understands the alternatives, expected recovery, risks and potential benefits of surgery.
Not All Hip Pain Is Arthritis
Pain from the hip joint, lower back, bursa and gluteal tendons can overlap. A careful evaluation helps identify which structure is actually causing the symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hip Arthritis
Can hip arthritis cause knee pain?
Yes. Pain from the hip can travel down the thigh and be felt around the knee. This is one reason the hip should be examined when knee pain is not fully explained by knee imaging.
Do I need an MRI to diagnose hip arthritis?
Usually not. Standing X-rays are commonly the most useful initial imaging study for established arthritis. MRI may be used when the diagnosis is uncertain or when another condition such as AVN, a labral tear or tendon injury is suspected.
Does bone-on-bone arthritis automatically require hip replacement?
No. Surgery is based on symptoms and functional limitation, not the X-ray alone. Some patients with advanced X-ray changes still function well, while others have severe pain and substantial loss of mobility.
Can physical therapy make hip arthritis worse?
Appropriate therapy should be adjusted to the severity of the arthritis and the patient's tolerance. The goal is to improve strength and movement without repeatedly provoking severe pain.
How do I know when I am ready for hip replacement?
Replacement may be appropriate when hip pain and stiffness regularly limit walking, sleep, work or daily activities and nonsurgical treatment no longer provides acceptable relief. The final decision is individualized after reviewing your examination and X-rays.
Do Not Let Hip Pain Keep Shrinking Your Daily Life
Whether you have early arthritis, an uncertain MRI finding or advanced bone-on-bone disease, our orthopedic team can help determine the source of your pain and explain the full range of treatment options.
This information is educational and does not replace an individual medical evaluation. Treatment recommendations depend on symptoms, examination findings, imaging, overall health and the condition of the hip joint.