Types of Hip & Knee Arthritis Conditions | MedStar Health
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US News Best Hospitals - Orthopedics - 2023-24At MedStar Health, we offer the most advanced care and treatment for all hip conditions, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. One of our top priorities is to educate you on the details of your hip condition, addressing all questions and concerns you have. We promise to advise you and your family on a treatment plan that includes the most effective approaches and a variety of procedures that benefit you with faster recovery times, better pain management, and more precise surgery, if necessary.

Arthritis of the hip

US News and World Report High Performing Hospitals Badge for hip replacement_2023-24_MGUHArthritis is an inflammation of the tissues that cushion the joints where your bones meet. This inflammation can cause pain, swelling, and joint damage. Your hip joints are especially vulnerable to arthritis, which includes:

Osteoarthritis

  • The natural aging process can wear away at the cartilage between the bones at joints, causing inflammation and pain. It commonly affects hips.

Post-traumatic arthritis

  • This form of osteoarthritis develops after you experience an injury to the hip. It can develop years after your injury occurs.

Rheumatoid arthritis

  • This immune system dysfunction attacks and wears away at the cartilage lining between the bones in your joints. You generally experience rheumatoid arthritis on both sides of your body, so it would affect both hips.

Advanced osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the hip can make it difficult to walk and perform many other basic daily activities. Hip replacement surgery can provide relief from arthritis symptoms, and the expert orthopedic hip replacement surgeons at MedStar Health offer a wide range of advanced treatment and surgical options for all types of advanced hip arthritis.

Hip arthritis symptoms generally include:

  • Stiffness in the hip area, including the thighs and groin
  • Pain in the hip area
  • Difficulty moving the hip in different directions
  • Difficulty walking

Common symptoms

  • Pain in the groin with activity
  • Discomfort in the hip with sitting or standing
  • Catching or locking with hip motion
  • Decreased range of motion and discomfort with hip flexion and rotation

Diagnosis

A diagnosis of hip impingement is based on a person’s symptoms and a thorough examination of his or her hips, spine, and lower extremities. An X-ray will be taken, and possibly a CAT or MRI scan.

Treatment

Your doctor will probably want to begin your treatment conservatively before considering surgery.

    1. Nonsurgical: If we determine that you have impingement that is due to an overuse injury, we will recommend rest and a modified exercise routine to reduce your pain.

Our specialists may recommend physical therapy to correct alignment abnormalities and strengthen the muscles around the hip. Steroid injections directly into the hip joint may decrease the inflammation and provide temporary, symptomatic relief.

    2. Surgical: Surgery is recommended when impingement symptoms do not improve. In the past, hip impingement treatment required a large incision around the hip, dislocation of the hip joint, and contouring and repairing of the bone and labrum. This required hospital admission and a lengthy recovery. With recent advances in surgical technique, surgeons from MedStar Health can now treat it arthroscopically.

Minimally invasive hip arthroscopy is performed through several very small incisions, rather than a large incision. The hip scope procedure is performed under general anesthesia, and a patient typically goes home the same day.

Arthritis of the knee

US News and World Report High Performing Hospitals Badge for knee replacement_2023-24_MGUHMedStar Health knee specialists offer sophisticated pain management to limit pain caused by surgery, as well as the most advanced physical therapy treatment to build back your strength and range of motion. No matter how simple or complex your knee condition, the experienced orthopedic knee surgeons at MedStar Health will offer you a successful solution.

Knee joints are especially vulnerable to arthritis, which includes:

  • Osteoarthritis: The natural aging process can wear away at the cartilage between the bones at joints, causing inflammation and pain. It commonly affects knees.

  • Post-traumatic arthritis: This form of osteoarthritis develops after you experience an injury to the knee. It can develop years after your injury occurs.

  • Rheumatoid arthritis: This immune system dysfunction attacks and wears away at the cartilage lining between the bones in your joints. You generally experience rheumatoid arthritis on both sides of your body, so it would affect both knees.

Advanced arthritis in the knee can make it difficult to walk and perform many other basic daily activities. Knee replacement surgery can provide relief from arthritis symptoms, and the expert orthopedic knee replacement surgeons at MedStar Health offer a wide range of advanced treatment and surgical options for all types of advanced knee arthritis.

Knee arthritis symptoms generally include:

  • Stiffness and swelling in knee area

  • Difficulty moving the knee

  • Knee feels weak and painful

  • Knee feels unstable, as if it might give way

  • Difficulty walking

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