Tacoma General Hospital

Hip Problems and Injuries

Hip problems can stem from overuse, injury, aging or a congenital problem.

Common symptoms of hip problems from overuse include:

  • Pain
  • Stiffness
  • Snap, pop or grinding sounds
  • Difficulty standing or changing positions
  • Weakness

Overuse injuries occur when the same motion is repeated over long periods of time. Running or bicycling for long distances can cause hip irritation.

Hip Fractures
Fractures of the hip often occur from a sudden injury like a fall or a direct blow to the hip. Hip fractures are common in elderly patients do to bone density loss from osteoporosis.

Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a disease that can affect many joints in the body, especially the hip joint. This can make walking, standing or even sitting painful. Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage that protects joints to breakdown. Without this protective cushion, bones rub together, causing damage and pain.

Treatments for osteoarthritis in the hip can range from weight loss to surgery or total hip replacement depending on the severity of the damage. There are several surgical options available including arthroscopy, osteotomy and hip resurfacing surgery.