Hip Surgery

How does the hip work?

Your hip is a stable ball-and-socket joint that allows your legs to move during activities like walking, running, and using stairs. Even though it’s a ball-and-socket joint, it rarely dislocates and has a good range of motion.

The ball of your hip joint at the top of your thigh bone is called your femoral head. It attaches to your pelvis at the acetabulum. The entire hip joint is held together by a sturdy sleeve of fibers called a capsule. This sleeve is lined with synovial tissue to keep the hip cartilage lubricated and moving smoothly.

Despite the stability of your hip bone, it’s vulnerable to a variety of injuries due to congenital abnormalities, overuse, injury, and aging. The most common hip injuries include strains, bursitis, dislocations, and fractures. Other health conditions like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis can also lead to hip pain or breaks.

Several hip conditions require surgical treatment to restore function and reduce your pain.

What are the most common types of hip surgery?

There are two main types of hip surgery used to treat orthopedic conditions:

Hip replacement surgery

Your doctor might recommend a hip replacement to repair the severe hip damage that disrupts your ability to perform normal daily activities. During this procedure, your doctor surgically replaces the fractured, damaged, or diseased hip joint with prosthetic pieces.

Hip preservation surgery

Hip preservation or hip arthroscopy may be an option if your hip joint isn’t damaged enough to require a full replacement, but you’re still experiencing significant pain. During hip arthroscopy, your doctor makes a small incision and inserts a camera into your hip joint to identify the problem and correct it using small instruments.

What can I expect from hip surgery?

A hip replacement requires traditional surgery and a large single incision, so your doctor can fully visualize the damage affecting the structure of your hip. This surgical technique typically requires a hospital stay and longer recovery times.

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical technique that offers faster recovery times and reduced postsurgical pain. In many cases, you can even go home the same day of your arthroscopic surgery.

Whether you have a full hip replacement or hip preservation surgery, your recovery process includes specially designed exercises to restore your hip’s full range of motion and strength.

For more information about hip surgery procedures at Southwest Orthopedic Group, LLP, call to schedule an appointment today.