When you have pain in your hips, nonsurgical treatments like physical therapy are often a first course of treatment. However, if the pain doesn’t fully respond to those treatments, your provider may recommend a hip arthroscopy to determine what is actually going on. Typically an outpatient procedure, hip arthroscopy is a type of surgery that allows the doctor to see your joints and make a diagnosis—or treat an issue—without a large incision. 

What a Hip Arthroscopy Entails

Hip arthroscopy, also known as a hip scope, involves the surgeon inserting a small camera into your hip via an incision about the size of a buttonhole. The surgeon can see your hip joint and surrounding area and diagnose the problem via the images displayed on a video screen.

Depending on what’s happening with your hip, the surgeon may also perform arthroscopic surgery in the same visit. Using the same miniature camera, the surgeon uses precise instruments to operate while guided by the camera. Surgery may require more than one small incision, but it is still less invasive than open surgery. 

When Is Hip Arthroscopy Recommended?

Nonsurgical treatment, such as medication or physical therapy, is often the first course of action for hip pain. However, when they don't eliminate the pain, a hip scope can more effectively identify and correct the problem. Some of the more common conditions that necessitate a scope include: 

• Hip dysplasia, in which a shallow hip socket can cause the surrounding cartilage to tear.
• Bone spurs in the hip.
• Inflammation of the joint. 
• Joint infections. 
• Bone or cartilage fragments that come loose and lodge in the joint. 

Hip impingement, a condition that limits the hip’s range of motion and contributes to arthritis, is also commonly addressed via hip arthroscopy.

Benefits of the Procedure

Hip arthroscopy is preferred by many surgeons because it’s minimally invasive and, in the majority of cases, performed on an outpatient basis. Although the hip pain from the condition that was treated typically subsides immediately, the procedure itself can cause some minor pain, swelling, and discomfort for about two weeks.

Most patients use crutches during that recovery period and may need to take over-the-counter pain relievers. Physical therapy is also necessary for most patients for several weeks to help them regain a full range of motion and live pain-free going forward. 

For help with pain in your hip, turn to Associates In Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. With convenient locations in both Dalton and Calhoun, GA, they offer comprehensive physical therapy and orthopedic services. They use state-of-the-art technology to provide effective, individualized care to improve your quality of life as you work to become pain-free. To schedule an appointment, call (706) 226-5533 or visit them online to learn more about their skilled and compassionate team.