What Are the Causes of Pain in an Artificial Hip?

Replacing a diseased hip joint with an artificial hip joint generally eliminates hip pain and increases hip joint functionality. However, hip pain can occur in and around an artificial hip joint in a small number of cases for a variety of reasons.

Loose Implant

• An artificial hip implant that loses bone fixation and becomes loose is a common cause of hip and leg pain. For a hip implant to function optimally and cause no pain, it must be securely affixed to the femur, or leg bone.

Malpositioned Implant

• In rare cases, a painful artificial hip joint is due to malpositioning of the implant itself. To maximize implant function and longevity, and to prevent pain, correct positioning of the implant must be achieved during surgery.

Warped Implant

• Over time, artificial hip implants can warp, or bend, which reduces implant function and typically causes moderate to severe levels of hip and leg pain. Severe implant warpage typically leads to implant failure, which necessitates revision hip replacement surgery.

Overuse

• In highly active individuals with hip replacements, overuse can often cause hip pain. Activity modification, including avoiding participation in activities that overly stress the hip joint, can reduce or eliminate artificial hip pain.

Soft Tissue Dysfunction

• The muscles and soft tissues surrounding an artificial hip joint can become tight and stiff in the days and weeks following hip replacement surgery, and this can cause pain and stiffness in the hip joint. This problem generally abates as physical activity increases.