Destruction of the hip joint initially occurs asymptomatically, so the patient does not consult a doctor. Only after several months and sometimes years do the first signs of a degenerative process appear. Aching, dull pain appears, intensifying when walking, swelling and morning stiffness. At this stage of destruction of the hip joint, irreversible pathological changes in cartilage, bones, and connective tissue structures occur.
Collapsed head of the femur.
The sooner a patient turns to an orthopedist, the higher the likelihood of successful conservative treatment with the help of pharmacological drugs, daily exercise, and physiotherapeutic procedures. For patients with moderate to severe hip joint destruction, arthrodesis or endoprosthesis replacement is indicated.
Causes of the disease
The main causes of osteoporosis of the hip joint:
- disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system;
- vitamin D deficiency;
- poor nutrition, consumption of food containing little calcium and phosphorus;
- violation of metabolic processes;
- hormonal imbalances;
- alcohol abuse;
- taking medications that remove calcium from the body.
In the initial stages, the disease is asymptomatic. Many people learn about the presence of the disease after a fracture.
Symptoms and signs
Typical symptoms of osteoporosis of the hip joint in women include:
- the occurrence of leg cramps in the evening;
- spasms in the back and legs;
- structural changes in the hip joint and bones.
Due to the fact that the disease does not manifest itself in the early stages, patients do not treat it. However, some signs may indicate the possible development of the disease. These include:
- regular limb fractures;
- feeling of discomfort throughout the body.
Having paid attention to these points, you should immediately contact a specialist to restore calcium levels in the body and stop the development of the disease.
Destruction of the hip joint in children
In most cases, destruction of the hip joint in children is associated with dysplasia that develops in the early neonatal period. Sometimes this pathology of cartilage tissue is congenital.
In the first year of life, hip dysplasia can be effectively treated using manual therapy methods. After 2-3 years, a relapse may occur with the formation of foci of destruction of cartilage tissue in the cavity of the acetabulum or in the area of the femoral head.
In this case, the child’s gait, foot placement, and slight curvature of posture may change. You should carefully observe how a child aged 3-5 years walks and stands. It is during this period that various pathologies of the musculoskeletal system most often develop, associated with deformation of the lower extremities and improper formation of the physiological curves of the spinal column.
When the hip joint is destroyed, children complain of frequent pain and increased fatigue. the child tries to lead a sedentary lifestyle, refuses long walks and active games with his peers.
If such signs appear, immediately consult an orthopedist. You can make an appointment for a free appointment with a doctor of this profile in our manual therapy clinic.
Degrees of osteoporosis of the hip joint
Osteoporosis of the hip joint is a disease that occurs in three stages. Each stage of hip osteoporosis has specific signs and symptoms.
1st degree
The following signs are typical for the first stage:
- joint clearance is minimized;
- the patient experiences spasms during prolonged exercise.
Symptoms disappear after the person rests.
Therefore, many do not consider it necessary to go to the hospital. At the first stage, unlike osteoporosis of the 2nd degree of the hip joint, you can get rid of the disease with the help of medications. No surgical intervention will be required. The development of the first stage is accompanied by narrowing of the joints. This can be clearly seen on x-rays. As for pain during physical activity, it appears when a person takes an upright posture. It is virtually impossible to determine damage to the pelvic muscles due to vague symptoms.
2nd degree
The second degree of the disease is characterized by a significant reduction in the joint. Spasms do not go away quickly and constantly bother the person. Often the pathology is accompanied by inflammatory processes in the soft tissues. This leads to difficulty bending and straightening the joint.
Spasms can be localized not only in the leg, but also in the groin area. Therefore, patients with osteoporosis of the hip joint begin treatment for the back, and not for the disease itself, allowing it to progress. For the second degree, a crunching sound occurs in the joint when changing position. Sometimes a sharp spasm appears, which quickly passes.
3rd degree
Symptoms of grade 3 osteoporosis of the hip joint are manifested in muscle weakness, regular pain, regardless of the degree of load. The structure of bone tissue changes, which is reflected in a person’s gait. He begins to limp. This allows the doctor to diagnose the disease during examination.
Conservative methods of therapy will not help cure stage 3 osteoporosis. Therefore, specialists resort to surgical intervention.
Clinical picture
The main symptoms of destruction of the hip joint are rare at first, and as the pathology progresses - severe, constant pain in the groin and thigh. They can radiate to the knee, ankle, ankle, and lumbosacral spine. At an appointment with an orthopedist, patients complain of stiffness of movement. Moreover, at the initial stage of coxarthrosis, the restriction of mobility is short-term, disappearing after 1-2 hours. The person “walks around”, and during the day he is not bothered by stiffness when moving. But at the third stage of degenerative-dystrophic pathology, the patient uses a cane or crutches to walk. Often he is unable to move around the room without assistance. Complete or partial loss of mobility is accompanied by shortening of the leg and atrophy of the thigh muscles.
Dynamics of destruction.
| Stages of destruction of the hip joint | Characteristic symptoms and radiological signs |
| First | Pain occurs only after serious physical activity - heavy lifting, intense sports training, long walking. Discomfortable sensations are localized directly in the joint and do not radiate to neighboring areas of the body. The gait is not changed, there is no muscle weakness. X-ray images show bony growths on the inner and outer edges of the acetabulum |
| Second | The severity of clinical manifestations increases, the pain becomes constant, intense, and occurs even during a period of rest, radiating to the groin, knees, and thighs. The person begins to limp, trying to avoid pain when walking. The range of movements decreases. In the morning, swelling of the skin over the joint is observed. The photographs clearly show a decrease in the size of the joint space, the formation of large bone growths, an increase in the head of the femoral bone, deformation and upward displacement, and uneven edges |
| Third | The pain that occurs is sharp, piercing, and often does not subside throughout the day and night. A person has difficulty moving independently due to atrophy of the muscles of the thigh, lower leg, and buttocks. The leg shortens, so when walking the patient tilts the body towards the injured limb to maintain balance. A shift in the center of gravity leads to an even greater increase in the load on the joint. X-ray images show multiple osteophytes, an enlarged femoral head, and a significant narrowing of the joint space. |
Treatment methods for osteoporosis of the hip joint
Timely treatment, immediately after diagnosis by a specialist, will help prevent the negative consequences of the development of the disease. Injuries caused by osteoporosis heal slowly. Therapy includes a set of measures aimed at tissue restoration and stopping the progression of the disease. Treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist.
Drug therapy
Medicines are an effective treatment for osteoporosis of the hip joint. And all because they are better absorbed by the body. In addition, many natural remedies will not be effective without supplementation in the form of medications. For example, calcium-containing foods may be poorly absorbed by the body, so special medications are prescribed to bring this function into effect.
Bisphosphonates help prevent further development of the disease. There are no natural analogues to this product.
Health-improving gymnastics
Lack of physical activity leads to decreased bone density. Heavy stress can lead to fracture. The main goal of gymnastics is to improve blood circulation in the tissues. Jumping and carrying heavy objects are prohibited as they can cause bone injuries. The development of a set of exercises should be carried out by the attending physician.
ethnoscience
Treatment of the disease with folk remedies is acceptable. This is a good addition to the main therapy. You should not stop taking certain medications without consulting your doctor.
Recommended:
- Make compresses with Dimexide and comfrey infusion. The duration of treatment is two weeks.
- Take warm baths. Add willow bark infusion to the water. The duration of the procedure is 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Dietary nutrition is prescribed to adjust the level of vitamin D and calcium. Consumption of dairy products, fish, and greens is expected. It is acceptable to take calcium supplements, but only after consulting your doctor.
Non-drug treatment
In the treatment of coxarthrosis, physiotherapeutic procedures are used - magnetic therapy, laser therapy, UHF therapy. Since the hip joint is a deep-lying joint, these manipulations do not always give the desired clinical effect. Electrophoresis is more often used, during which drug molecules are delivered to the joint under the influence of an electric current. As part of complex therapy, patients are recommended to:
- professional massage;
- hardware traction, underwater traction.
Underwater traction.
The procedures stimulate muscle strengthening, increase mobility of the hip joint, and in combination with drug treatment help reduce the load on the femoral head and increase the distance between it and the acetabulum.
For coxarthrosis of grade 3 severity, conservative therapy is not carried out. Patients are immediately offered surgery - endoprosthetics (installation of an artificial hip joint).
Installed hip prosthesis. The pink head is ceramic, wear-resistant.
Typically, a bipolar endoprosthesis is used, replacing both the acetabulum and the head of the femur. If the destruction of the articulation is not too severe, a unipolar prosthesis imitating the femoral head is implanted. After a thorough examination of the patient, the operation is performed under general anesthesia. During the rehabilitation period, patients are advised to take short-term antibacterial drugs.
A high-quality endoprosthesis ensures complete restoration of all functions of the hip joint, and its service life varies from 10 to 20 years.
Prevention
Preventive measures to prevent the disease:
- Power regulation. The diet should be full of foods containing fiber and proteins. It is recommended to avoid alcohol and fatty foods. Consumption of foods high in minerals.
- Taking vitamins and sunbathing.
- Active lifestyle, but without excessive stress. During sports activities, avoid sudden movements and jerks.
Often, osteoporosis of the hip joint appears as a result of neglect of preventive measures to prevent pathologies in bone tissue. The disease can completely immobilize, so do not neglect preventive measures. At the first signs of illness, you should immediately consult a doctor. The specialist will prescribe comprehensive treatment.
Destruction of the hip joint 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree
Any pathological process in the human body occurs in several stages. First, primary changes occur, which lay the preconditions for subsequent processes.
Coxarthrosis does not occur spontaneously; it is preceded by:
- destruction of the hip joint of the 1st degree, expressed in dehydration of cartilage tissue and rapid fatigue of the muscles of the lower extremities;
- destruction of the hip joint of the 2nd degree, in which the pathology causes constant dull and nagging pain, changes in gait and partial deformation of cartilage tissue;
- destruction of the hip joint of the 3rd degree, causing severe pain, deformation of all bone surfaces, formation of osteophytes and bone growths.
The degree of damage can be determined using differential diagnostics. An experienced orthopedic doctor will be able to make an accurate diagnosis during the first examination and examination of the patient. Conservative treatment using manual therapy methods is only possible in the first and second stages of tissue destruction of the hip joint.
Therefore, before starting therapy, it is very important to take x-rays of this bone joint. Based on the presence of characteristic deformation changes, the doctor will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and give all the necessary recommendations regarding treatment tactics.