Can a physician distinguish a wear pattern in the deterioration of a hip joint if it is caused (or excellerated by) repetative motion injury at work?

-- Dorothy Labi (DorthNY@Hotmail.com), August 23, 2003

Answers

Wear can be detected in a hip through a simple x-ray. However, there is not a specific pattern that would allow a determination that a specific motion was responsible for the wear. In general, a 'normal' hip does not 'wear out' By that I mean that it is not like a set of tires. We do not specifically see wear occurring as a consequence of use. If that were true then runners and joggers would be wearing out their hips and couch potatoes wouldn't. When we look at a hip x-ray we sometimes see the results of injury or abnormal development of the hip that is the reason that the hip is 'worn out'. It is true that hip arthritis increases in frequency with advancing age, but most people live with their original hips for their whole lives.

DS Hungerford

-- David S. Hungerford, M.D. (dhunger@jhmi.edu), February 03, 2004.