What is Adolescent Hip Dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia is a condition where the femoral head and the socket of your hip bone do not fit together correctly.

The most common age for hip dysplasia in children is infancy or toddlerhood; however, if it is only mild, it usually manifests among adults. Doctors sometimes refer to birth-presented hip dysplasia as congenital hip dysplasia or developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). These are all words for the same condition.

A joint is where your body links two bones together. An example is a connection like that of your femur - your thigh bone - and your hip bone or pelvis.

In hip dysplasia, the ball-and-socket relationship between your femur and pelvis is abnormal; the ball at the top of your femur, the femoral head, does not correctly align with the groove in your pelvis, which should fit the acetabulum.

This ill-fit damages the cushioning cartilage between your joints and can cause damage to the cartilage. Sufferers of hip dysplasia are at higher risk of experiencing hip dislocations apart from stiffness and pain.

See a health professional if you or your child have hip pain that does not improve in a few days. Please consult a provider if you suspect that your baby is in pain or that one of their legs seems significantly longer/shorter than the other.

What are the symptoms of hip dysplasia?

The most common hip dysplasia symptoms are:

Hip pain (usually in the front of your groin).
You feel like your hip is loose or unstable.
They limp when they walk or move.
Their legs are of unequal length.

Children born with hip dysplasia who are not yet old enough to walk will have symptoms slightly different from others, including those of the above list:

Their leg turns out (away from the center of their body) more than the other leg.
They move one leg less than the other leg.
The skin around their thighs and butt (buttocks) is unevenly wrinkled.

How old do babies suffer from hip dysplasia when they start showing symptoms?

Most infants with hip dysplasia are diagnosed before they are 6 months old. Your provider may even check your baby's hips during their birth. Your child will not have symptoms you can detect at home; however, your provider will always check their hips as part of every well-child visit.

Some people are not diagnosed with hip dysplasia until they are older than teenagers or adults. This is rare, though.

What causes hip dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia is a congenital condition where your femur does not fit properly into the socket in your pelvis. You may acquire it if your hip socket is too shallow or if the head, or uppermost part, of your femur is not standard in shape.

Most hip dysplasia is born, but it can appear during pregnancy if the fetus finds itself in a position where it is somehow pressing its hips. In some cases, this disease might be genetic, and the biological parents pass it on to their children.

What risk factors do exist for hip dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia can occur in anyone, and any baby can be born with the condition. It is more common in females, assigned females at birth, and firstborn babies.

Hip dysplasia can affect either hip but is found more on the left side.

What are the complications of hip dysplasia?

Adults and babies suffering from hip dysplasia often have a higher risk of dislocation from the hip. Typically, hip dislocations occur as a result of more severe traumas, which can be associated with car accidents or bad falls. However, with hip dysplasia, your hip joint is typically weaker than usual, making you increasingly predisposed to dislocation. In addition to weakness, the muscles and ligaments that control movement around your hip are also slack if you have hip dysplasia.

A healthcare provider will talk about how you can avoid injuries and decrease the likelihood that you have a dislocation.

Other hip dysplasia complications may also involve:

Hip labral tears: Tears in the cartilage in your hip joint.
Osteoarthritis: Wear and tear arthritis that develops as your joint cartilage is worn away over time.
Unstable hip joints: Chronic (recurring) pain from your hip joint not fitting together correctly.

How is hip dysplasia diagnosed?

A healthcare provider will diagnose hip dysplasia with a physical exam and some imaging tests.

Let your healthcare provider know when you first noticed hip pain, as well as activities that worsen this pain.

Your baby will be checked for signs of hip dysplasia at birth and each of their well-child visits.

What are the tests used by providers to diagnose hip dysplasia?

Your doctor may recommend some imaging tests to capture photographs of your (or your child's) hips, including:

Ultrasound
Hip X-rays.
A CT scan.

How is hip dysplasia treated?

A healthcare provider will prescribe treatments for hip dysplasia that relieve pain and help prevent further injury to the hip joint. Hip dysplasia treatments have primarily been placed into two categories:

Bracing: Infants need a brace or harness to help stabilize their hips. This way, the joints are aligned, and the body can grow normally. For most babies, bracing is adequate, especially when done before a child reaches 6 months of age. Most babies need a brace only for a few months.
Physical Therapy: A physical therapist will give you stretches and exercises that strengthen muscles around the articulations of your hip joint to improve flexibility.
Hip Dysplasia Surgery: Your health provider will recommend surgical repair if there is no improvement from other treatments. Common procedures to correct hip dysplasia involve hip osteotomies and arthroscopies. Osteotomy refers to the surgical repositioning or reshaping of bones. A hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure to repair damage inside your hip joint. Patients with severe hip dysplasia and arthritis may need hip replacement (arthroplasty). Your surgeon can tell you which type of surgery you (or your child) will need and what to expect.

Can I prevent hip dysplasia?

The baby cannot be prevented from being born with hip dysplasia. Likewise, you cannot prevent it from happening to you. It just happens because your hips are shaped differently than usual.

Discuss with your healthcare provider about how you can help protect your child's developing hips. They may tell you to avoid maneuvers that put stress on your baby's joint.

What is the prognosis for hip dysplasia?

Most infants with hip dysplasia will have no long-term effects if they receive early treatment. Their hips usually need to be braced for a few months, but most children have no problems or issues thereafter.

Adults with hip dysplasia can usually do everything they did before they received their doctor's clearance to start the activity again.