The term arthritis literally means “inflammation of the joint”. Arthritis is one of the most common causes of pain and stiffness in the hip. It can make it hard to do everyday activities like bending over to tie a shoe, rising from a chair, or taking a short walk. Arthritis is a progressive disorder, which means that it typically starts gradually and gets worse with time.

Types of Arthritis

There are five main types of arthritis that can affect the hip joint. They are:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Psoriatic arthritis

Total hip replacement surgery also called total hip arthroplasty. In this procedure, the end portion of the thighbone affected by arthritis is replaced with a metal head that can be cemented with special glue to the stem of the thighbone or can be uncemented (in younger patients). The socket is replaced with a metallic cup and high-density plastic is used as an insert into it. The socket is usually left uncemented (screws are used to connect to the thighbone). The Total Hip Replacement procedure enables restoration of the natural gliding motion of the joint.

The hip is the second most commonly replaced joint, after the knee. Hip replacement is an option when irreparable joint damage interferes with function and causes constant pain that is not alleviated by more conservative therapies.

Hip replacement surgery can be done for all three types of arthritis:

• rheumatoid arthritis — an autoimmune disease that leads to joint inflammation
• traumatic arthritis — damage to the joint caused by an injury
• osteoarthritis — a degenerative form of arthritis that’s most common in older adults