Hip ailments / Diagnostics / Therapy

Symptoms

The hip joint is one of the most heavily impacted joints in our body. Typical ailments include pain and restricted mobility. Pain shows up mainly in the groin area, outer thigh and buttock and knee. It starts out as exertion-related symptoms which eventually develop into unremitting pain that manifests itself even during times of rest. Everyday tasks like getting dressed become laborious. The patient begins to limp. The medical diagnosis is arthritis of the hip, also known as coxarthrosis.

Causes of osteoarthritis

One cause is related to ageing: the hip joint is worn out from a lifetime of use, while another stems from overstraining of the joint. Osteoarthritis is however most often a result of poor bio-mechanical exertion caused by malformation of the hip socket or femoral head. This may be the result of a developmental disorder that occurred during childhood, an example of which is hip dysplasia. Being overweight in particular has a negative impact on all the joints. Additional factors which lead to excessive joint wear are circulatory problems of the femoral head and metabolism disorders. Intensive sports activities or long years of hard physical labor can lead to arthritis of the hip as well.

Diagnostics

Central to the diagnostics is the patient’s extensive medical history and a doctor-conducted physical exam. We greatly believe that a thorough examination of the patient by the attending surgeon, during which therapeutic options are laid out and discussed, is vital to trust-building between patient and doctor. On top of this comes the technical diagnostics which, depending on the ailment, includes X-ray, sonogram (ultrasound), magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) and other methods of examination.

Therapy planning

Crucial to therapy planning is a highly precise image of the size of the cartilage damage and knowledge of the patient’s genetic predisposition. To this end, we have at our disposal cutting-edge diagnostic tools like low-radiation, digital X-ray and open magnetic resonance tomography to obtain the most exact measurement of the bone structure.

Treatment strategy

We use conservative (non-surgical) therapeutic approaches to treat an ailment in its early stages. The core of the treatment, in addition to strengthening the patient’s hip muscles, involves designing a targeted exercise program. The idea is to conserve the mobility of the joint for as long as possible. If necessary, we will prescribe supportive treatments like physiotherapy and manual therapy. Functional disorders of the joint frequently lead to muscle tension and may as a result cause a variety of discomforts and pains. With our chirotherapeutic methods, we are able to ascertain the disorder and prescribe a treatment before physiotherapy becomes necessary. On the other hand, physiotherapy has often proved effective. If pain persists injections might be recommended. A course of 5 injections administered under the guidance of ultrasound or X-ray, in many cases, provide relief from pain for months or years.

Only when the joint is so deteriorated that it cannot be saved would we advise the patient on an artificial hip (endoprosthesis) or hip resurfacing. The choice of the endoprosthetic implant depends on the patient’s particular needs and predispositions.