Dr. Dayanand Kaliaperumal

With age, most bones of the body undergo degenerative changes leading to reduced movement. The cartilage that is present in the joints allowing free movement is gradually lost due to wear and tear. This loss of cartilage makes the movement painful. This can also be caused by obesity and trauma, but age is the most common cause. The reduced movement leads to weight gain, which further aggravates the osteoarthritis.

Hips are one of the most commonly affected areas of osteoarthritis. Especially with overweight people, hips are quite often affected. In most people, early diagnosis can help in arresting progress and even reverse changes. This will help avoid chronic use of pain medications and major surgical treatments for managing the osteoarthritis.

Some of the most effective ways of managing osteoarthritis include the following:

1. Weight loss: Reducing weight is one the most important cornerstones of managing osteoarthritis. People who reduce weight will see a drastic improvement in their symptoms.
2. Pain medications: Pain is one of the main reasons that people seek medical help and that is when the diagnosis is made. Therefore, for immediate relief, pain control is essential. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often used to control pain. In parallel, other measures for long-term control of osteoarthritis should be undertaken.
3. Cold therapy: Using cold packs in the area of pain can provide great relief from pain attacks.
4. Electrotherapy: Use of mild amounts of electricity can stimulate the nerve endings, reduce pain, and help in pain control.
5. Acupuncture: Relieving pressure points which can increase inflammation is also widely used to control pain.
6. Soft tissue massage: The soft tissues around the affected hip joint are regularly massaged, augmented by the use of a topical agent, which can help relieve the pain. The circulation is also improved, which can help in long-term symptom management including improved immune functions.
7. Regular exercise: A well-planned routine exercise regimen will help control pain, improve movement, reduce fatigue, improve endurance, and improve the overall quality of life. All affected tissues should be covered in the exercise bones, muscles and cartilage.

Using a combination of these techniques, the physiotherapy will aim to achieve the following.

1. Pain relief and protection: The first thing to manage is the pain, which brings the patient to the doctor. Once that is controlled, then long-term management needs to be planned.
2. Restoring hip movement and strength: Once the pain settles down, then the muscle strength, tension, endurance, and range of motion need to be worked upon. This restoration will be done in phases, and with each phase, greater range of motion will be achieved with lesser discomfort to the patient.

Physiotherapy uses various techniques to minimise symptoms and in some people, even complete reversal of changes is possible. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a physiotherapist.