Are Loose Bodies Irritating Your Hip?
The largest joint in the body is the hip joint. This ball and socket mechanism makes it possible for you to do the heavy lifting – your body as well as objects you pick up. Keeping it healthy and moving smoothly is critical. When the motion of the joint is impeded, you can experience pain, limited range of motion and your performance, even in everyday activities, can be greatly compromised.
The Little Irritations
You know how irritating and sometimes painful it can be to walk around with a pebble in your shoe. Loose bodies in the hip joint act the same way. These are small pieces of debris floating in the joint. They are usually chips of bone and/or cartilage that have broken off after an injury. Arthritis in the joint can also cause loose bodies to form as degeneration of the bone progresses.
Loose bodies do not always move around the joint. Sometimes they may stay in one place, causing irritation or pain, then move to a different location. When they impede the smooth motion of the hip joint, they can cause stiffness or pain. This is mostly felt in the groin area where the hip is joined. The round ball of femur bone is held securely inside the acetabulum, which is the socket in the pelvic bone.
Diagnosis and Treatment for Loose Bodies
Your medical history and symptoms are taken into account for diagnosis and determination of treatment options. A physical examination is performed to ascertain the cause of the debris and what hip motions cause pain. Diagnostic tools such as X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or magnetic resonance arthrograms (MRA) are used to identify the loose bodies and their position within the joint.
Treatment for loose bodies depends on the severity of the problem and location. Some conditions can be treated with anti-inflammatory medication, sometimes along with physical therapy and possibly corticosteroid injections. More severe cases may need arthroscopic surgical intervention.
Dr. Kerisimasi Reynolds specializes in orthopedic treatments. Options often include minimally invasive procedures. Contact our office today for more information and scheduling your consultation appointment.
