Your Quick Guide to Understand Hip Arthritis
Arthritis of the hip is a common condition physical therapists see in the clinic. It is diagnosed most frequently in patients over 60 years of age and is caused by damage to the joint’s cartilage. Actually, this bone and cartilage relationship starts much earlier, in your 20s and 30s, but comes into focus only once the joint damage is defined by pain. Running, skiing, sitting – all these movements add up to your arthritic pain in the long run. Let’s start from the beginning. Your hip joint is covered by cartilage. Think of cartilage as the lubricant and your joint as the engine. This lubrication allows for smooth engine operation during activity. Over time, life’s movement patterns can pull your hip joint slightly out of alignment. This misalignment increases joint…
