Hip pain in young patients

There is a misconception that younger people don’t get osteoarthritis of the hip. For this reason it is quite common for the warning signs to be missed. Often early problems with the hip joint masquerade as a muscle strain in the groin. It is not unusual for patients that I see to have complained of hip pain for several years before a diagnosis is finally made. Unfortunately by the time they are seen the condition of the hip joint may have deteriorated with significant signs of arthritis such that joint preservation is no longer an option.

Recurrent ‘groin strain’ like symptoms are usually a sign of a problem with the hip joint itself. Hip dysplasia and femoroacetabular Impingement are the usual conditions we see that lead to these early symptoms. There is good evidence that with timely intervention for hip dysplasia, and before there are advanced changes of osteoarthritis, we can extend the life of the hip joint, slow down the development of damage and thereby put off the day that a hip replacement might be necessary.

At this point in time, there is less evidence that surgery for FAI can necessarily extend the life of the hip joint and slow down the damage. That information remains to be proved. What we do know is that treatment is very effective in improving symptoms in the majority of patients allowing them to return to sport and other activities. Again, this depends on the intervention being early enough before the joint is too damaged.

It is very important that people are aware that persisting or recurrent episodes of  groin pain are not normal and warrant further investigation and a clear diagnosis.