What causes damage to the hip joint?

Friction and pain-free movement of the hip joint requires that the joint cartilage on the femoral head and acetabulum is intact. A variety of factors can cause wear or damage to the protective cartilage layer, i.e. coxarthrosis.

In healthy hip joints, the joint cartilage forms a smooth surface and thus friction between the joint surfaces is kept to a minimum. In the case of coxarthrosis, however, the joint cartilage firstly loses its elasticity although the sufferer is unaware of this. The surface of the cartilage becomes rough in those areas subject to the greatest loads and, over the course of time, is completely worn away. The bony surfaces of the joint now rub against each other which can ultimately result in deformation of the femoral head and acetabulum.

If the joint surfaces rub against each other without the protective layer of cartilage, this will result in pain; the sufferer initially only notes the pain when the joint is loaded, yet over the course of time, the pain is increasingly experienced when the joint is not loaded, particularly at night. The most pain is experienced in the groin area but can also radiate to the front of the femur.

The pain and subsequent muscular tension compromise articulation of the joint: since the hip joint plays a key role, particularly in day-to-day activities such as sitting and walking, sufferers are increasingly restricted in their everyday lives and experience diminished quality of life. Even putting on socks and shoes, climbing the stairs or getting out of bed can become a challenge.

Depending on the nature of the pain experienced, the attending doctor will at first try conservative methods to ease the pain. These include pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication, physiotherapy, baths and packs. These help to reduce the pain and improve joint mobility.

However, there is currently no sure way of recreating an intact cartilage layer in the joint and healing arthrosis. Thus, if all conservative measures fail to ease the pain, sufferers can be helped with a replacement of the diseased joint using a hip endoprosthesis.

The bone structure of many people of older age is no longer as stable as it once was, for example due to osteoporosis. Consequently, a fall can cause the femoral neck fracture more easily: The femoral bone breaks at its weakest point – at the femoral neck just below the femoral head. In such cases, hip endoprosthesis surgery is frequently performed, often only implanting a partial endoprosthesis.