Many kinds of arthritis can affect the hip joint, but by far the most common is osteoarthritis, which some people call "degenerative joint disease."

This occurs when the joint surface cartilage (also called hyaline cartilage, or articular cartilage) becomes worn away, leaving the raw bone beneath exposed. The cartilage normally serves as a “pad” or a bearing in the joint, and under normal conditions, the cartilage bearing is even slicker than a hockey puck on ice. When the bearing wears away, the result is a roughed joint surface that causes the pain and stiffness that people associate with osteoarthritis.

For most patients who have only mild arthritis, the pain can be managed with simple things such as ice, rest, activity modifications, pills, or joint injections.

However, if the arthritis becomes severe, the pain may not respond to those kinds of interventions. Patients with severe arthritis sometimes can benefit from total hip replacement surgery.

Hip arthritis symptoms tend to progress as the condition worsens. What is interesting about hip arthritis is that symptoms do not always progress steadily with time. Often patients report good months and bad months or symptom changes with weather changes. This is important to understand because comparing the symptoms of hip arthritis on one particular day may not accurately represent the overall progression of the condition.

The most common symptoms of hip arthritis are:

• Pain with activities
• Limited range of motion
• Stiffness of the hip
• Walking with a limp

Evaluation of a patient with hip arthritis should begin with a physical examination and x-rays. These can serve as a baseline to evaluate later examinations and determine progression of the condition.