Health Library

Hip Dysplasia, Adolescent

What are the Causes of Hip Dysplasia?

The exact causes of abnormal hip joint development are not always known.

Adolescent hip dysplasia is a condition that most likely stems from an undiagnosed or untreated case of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in childhood. DDH can go unnoticed during infancy and childhood and may not cause any symptoms, even when severe. Some children have hip dysplasia and don’t realize it. When the condition shows up in teens, it was likely present earlier in childhood.

Adolescent hip dysplasia typically appears as a child grows and becomes more active in the early teen years. This can be a result of a rapid growth spurt, the need for the hip to bear more load as the child gets bigger, or increased activity.

How Common is Hip Dysplasia in Teenagers?

Those who are more likely to have adolescent hip dysplasia include:

• Females
• First-degree relatives of someone already diagnosed with hip dysplasia (25% chance of developing hip dysplasia)
• Children with neuromuscular disorders

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Hip Dysplasia?

Usually a child will begin to complain of pain in the hip or groin area when they are active. Other symptoms can include:

• Decreased ability to participate in sports or recreational activities due to hip pain or fatigue
• Increasing pain in the hip or groin
• Decreased endurance
• Hip joint catching or locking
• A limp or change in the child’s gait (how they walk)
• A difference in leg lengths

Symptoms vary from mild to severe. They are usually progressive and worsen over time.

How Do You Diagnose Hip Dysplasia?

Doctors will perform a physical exam to diagnose adolescent hip dysplasia. To rule out other conditions and better view the hip anatomy, they may also use imaging. This can include one or more of the following:

• X-ray
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
• CT (computed tomography) scan
• Dynamic Ultrasound

What is the Treatment for Hip Dysplasia?

Treatment varies depending on how severe the hip dysplasia is, and can include:

• Joint injections
• Activity modification
• Physical therapy
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Surgery

Surgery is often recommended to increase stability of the hip, alleviate pain, and prevent or delay the need for total hip replacement. The most common surgery for adolescents to young adults with hip dysplasia is periacetabular osteotomy (PAO).

Surgery typically involves reshaping and / or repositioning the hip bones to create a normal hip socket.

What is the Recovery from Surgery for Hip Dysplasia?

For patients who are in the teen to adult years, rehabilitation after surgery typically consists of six months of physical therapy. Individuals often return to selected activities in four to six months. Overall recovery continues up to one year. The most intensive part of recovery is in the first three months after surgery.

While the bones are healing, for the first six weeks, patients are not able to put their full weight on the operated leg. Crutches are usually used during this time. Your doctor will let you know when physical therapy can start, but patients often may bear weight and begin range of motion exercises as early as four to six weeks after surgery. Exercises will strengthen the hip joint and prepare the hip to carry weight again.

What is the Long-Term Outlook for Hip Dysplasia?

For patients undergoing surgery, the long-term results of PAO and associated procedures are very good. The most common benefit is relief of pain so individuals can maintain or increase their hip function. Results can vary depending on age and how severe the disease is, but the following are typical outcomes:

• Ten years after surgery, more than 90% of patients continue to enjoy a successful outcome with relief of pain.
• Twenty years after surgery, 75% will have continued relief of pain and their condition will not have progressed to arthritis.

Some patients may develop arthritis later in life. Others may need a hip replacement in the future depending on how advanced the dysplasia was at the time of surgery. Hip replacement has improved the quality of life, function and pain for patients previously thought to be too young for hip replacement when the joint is unable to be preserved.