Also called: Osteoarthritis of the Hip
A normal hip joint has a ball on the upper end of the femur and a socket in the pelvis that is padded with cartilage, a cushioned layer that surrounds the joint. In a healthy hip, the ball is round and fits into the socket and can move freely and comfortably, since it is padded with cartilage. However, the cartilage can be damaged as a result of arthritis of the hip. One of the most common types of arthritis in the hip is osteoarthritis, or “wear and tear” arthritis. As the cartilage wears with time, it results in bone-on-bone rubbing. This can be extremely painful and cause inflammation that can lead to more pain.
