Conditions We Treat

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a condition in which extra bone grows along one or both of the bones that form the hip joint — giving the bones an irregular shape. Because they do not fit together perfectly, the bones rub against each other during movement.

The hip is a "ball-and-socket" joint. In a normal hip, the ball at the upper end of the femur (thighbone) fits firmly into the socket, which is a curved portion of the pelvis called the acetabulum. In a young person with hip dysplasia, the hip joint has not developed normally—the acetabulum is too shallow to adequately support and cover the head of the femur.

The most common cause of chronic hip pain and disability is arthritis. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and traumatic arthritis are the most common forms of this disease.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis worldwide. In people with osteoarthritis, the body’s ability to repair joints can’t keep up with joint damage. This eventually involves all joint tissues and leads to a loss of cartilage and bone changes. The tissue damage cannot be reversed, but symptoms can be effectively managed.

Osteoarthritis, or “wear and tear” arthritis, is a common degenerative disease often seen in older people. It can affect any of the body’s joints, but is most common in load-bearing joints like the knees and hips. Osteoarthritis of the hip happens when the cartilage that cushions the bones that form the hip joint wears down, causing pain and stiffness. While aging is the main cause, previous injury can lead to it as well.

Osteoarthritis, or “wear and tear” arthritis, is a common degenerative disease often seen in older people. It can affect any of the body’s joints, but is most common in load-bearing joints like the knees and hips. Osteoarthritis of the knee happens when the cartilage that cushions the bones of the knee joint wears down or tears, causing pain and stiffness and making it hard to bend or straighten the leg. Aging is one cause, but repetitive sports and injury often are at fault.

In osteonecrosis, the bone in the head of the femur slowly dies. Osteonecrosis of the hip is a painful condition that occurs when the blood supply to the head of the femur (thighbone) is disrupted. Because bone cells need a steady supply of blood to stay healthy, osteonecrosis can ultimately lead to destruction of the hip joint and severe arthritis.

Total hip replacement, (total hip arthroplasty), is the replacement of a hip joint as an alternative to other treatments. Arthritis damage that causes pain that no longer responds to treatment is usually the reason a hip replacement is chosen. The damaged pieces of the hip joint are replaced with artificial parts.

When normal daily activities like walking and climbing stairs are hard due to painful knees, usually caused by arthritis or injury, total knee replacement is an option. Most often used when pain and stiffness are not helped by medication and other treatments, the knee joint (which is the largest joint in the body) is replaced by artificial parts to restore pain-free movement.