Managing Degenerative Arthritis of the Hip

Abstract

Degenerative arthritis will continue to cause frequent adult disability until its etiology is better understood and an effective treatment is discovered. Symptoms often appear in the weight-bearing joints, particularly the hip. Management varies greatly, from that by unconcerned physicians who advise patients to “live with it” to that by those who recommend surgery in almost all cases. Neither extreme is appropriate. Instruction in protecting the joints and considerate care help most patients. Increasing evidence shows that surgical intervention can alter progression.