News

  HIP PAIN IS RISING RAPIDLY AMONGST AMERICANS

Date Published: 01.14.2008

New York, NY, January 14, 2008 – The surgeons of The Insall Scott Kelly® Institute (ISK) for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine today announced that hip pain is growing across the nation, affecting millions of Americans and causing significant disability.  According to ISK, nearly 250,000 Americans will undergo Total Hip Replacement (THR) in 2008, the gold standard in surgical treatment of hip arthritis.

Dr. Michael Kang, an ISK surgeon specializing in the hip, said pain in the hip joint is typically experienced in the front or groin which may cause a pronounced limp called a Trendelenberg gait.  Dr. Kang says some patients may experience stiffness more than pain, which leads to functional disabilities such as putting on shoes or socks. 

“Early treatment is important and involves an exercise program to maintain range of motion, hip muscle strength, and a healthy body weight,” said Kang. “Medications that may diminish the pain and stiffness include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).  When conservative treatment options fail, cortisone injections under radiological guidance have shown to be helpful,” Kang said.

Dr. Kang also says that if THR surgery is necessary, your surgeon should recommend low impact activities afterwards such as walking, biking, swimming, and golf to prolong the durability of the new hip.  According to Kang, hip resurfacing is an alternative treatment in the younger population with the theoretical benefit of conserving the bone. He says long term studies will be necessary to prove its durability.  Patients should visit their orthopaedic surgeons in order to determine the most appropriate treatment.

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