Hips

What are common hip problems?

The following are some of the most common hip problems:

• arthritis - the most common cause of the breakdown of hip tissue. There are three kinds of arthritis that commonly affect the hip, including the following:

osteoarthritis - also referred to as "wear and tear" arthritis; this type of arthritis involves the cartilage that cushions the bones of the hip wearing away, letting the bones then rub together, causing hip pain and stiffness.

rheumatoid arthritis - a disease in which, for unknown reasons, the synovial membrane becomes irritated and produces too much fluid. It damages the cartilage, leading to pain and stiffness.

traumatic arthritis - often the result of an injury or fracture, there are more than 320,000 hospitalizations for hip fractures in the United States every year.

• avascular necrosis - involves the loss of bone caused by insufficient blood supply, injury, and bone tumors and may lead to breakdown of the hip joint.
• bursitis - in this condition, the bursa, a closed fluid-filled sac that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues of the body, becomes inflamed. There are two major bursae of the hip, both of which can be associated with stiffness and pain around the hip joint, including the following:

trochanteric bursa - the bursa located on the side of the hip and separated significantly from the actual hip joint by tissue and bone.

ischial bursa - the bursa located in the upper buttock area.

• hip pointer - a bruise or tear in the muscle that connects to the top of the ileum (the crest of the pelvis, just below the waist). Causes of a hip pointer may include a blow, a fall, or a quick twist or turn of the body.

What is a hip fracture?

A hip fracture is a break in the femur (thigh bone) of the hip joint. Joints are areas where two or more bones meet. The hip joint is a "ball and socket" joint where the femur meets the pelvic bone. The ball part of the hip joint is the head of the femur, and the socket is a cup-like structure in the pelvic bone called the acetabulum. Hip fracture is a serious injury and requires immediate medical attention.

What are the different types of hip fracture?

A fracture is a partial or complete break in a bone. There can be either a single break or multiple breaks in a bone. A hip fracture is classified by the specific area of the break and the type of break(s) in the bone.

The most common types of hip fractures are:

• femoral neck fracture
  A femoral neck fracture occurs one to two inches from the hip joint. These  fractures are common among  older adults and can be related to osteoporosis. This  type of fracture may cause a complication because the break usually cuts off the  blood supply to the head of the femur which forms the hip joint.  
• intertrochanteric hip fracture
  An intertrochanteric hip fracture occurs three to four inches from the hip joint.  This type of fracture does not interrupt the blood supply to the bone and may be  easier to repair.

Around 90 percent of hip fractures fall into these two categories in relatively equal numbers. Another type of fracture called a stress fracture of the hip may be harder to diagnose. This is a hairline crack in the femur that may not involve the whole bone. Overuse and repetitive motion can cause a stress fracture. The symptoms of this injury may mimic those of tendonitis or muscle strain. [more...]

Related Articles

• Arthritis
• Arthroscopy
• Bursitis
• Exercise and the Aging Person
• Hip Replacement Surgery
• Hip Replacement Surgery (audio)
• Joint Replacement Surgery
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Orthopedic Treatment Plans
• Osteoarthritis
• Preventing Falls

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