What are the causes of arthritis and pain in the hips?

Hip arthritis is a degenerative condition that slowly damages the surfaces of the hip joint. Numerous types of hip injuries and conditions can predispose a hip joint to developing hip arthritis and pain.

Injury

• Many types of hip injuries, including hip dislocations and hip labral tears, which are tears to the fibrous lining of the hip socket, can lead to hip arthritis and hip pain over time if they alter hip biomechanics or damage the structural integrity of the joint.

Hip Dysplasia

• Hip dysplasia, a developmental hip disorder that results in a malformed hip joint, is a common cause of hip arthritis and hip pain. This disorder alters normal hip biomechanics, increasing the risk of hip osteoarthritis.

Avascular Necrosis

• A disorder that results in reduced blood flow to the hip joint, avascular necrosis, can cause collapse and deformity of the femoral head, which causes pain and increases the risk of hip arthritis.

Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis

• Slipped capital femoral epiphysis is a condition that involves slippage of the epiphysis, or growth plate, on the top of the femur bone. The epiphysis separates the top of the hip joint from the lower leg. Slippage of the epiphysis causes a hip joint deformity that can lead to hip arthritis and pain later in life.

Chondrolysis

• A rare hip condition that causes the hip joint cartilage to deteriorate, chondrolysis, can cause hip osteoarthritis, pain and severe hip joint stiffness.