Osteoarthritis Management in Hip Rehabilitation
Summary
Osteoarthritis of the hip is a degenerative joint disease characterised by cartilage breakdown, subchondral bone remodelling and synovial inflammation. Management spans conservative measures—such as targeted exercise, manual therapy and patient education—to surgical interventions when joint preservation is no longer viable. Rehabilitation aims to alleviate pain, restore mobility and optimise neuromuscular control, focusing on muscle strengthening, joint mobilisation and gait retraining. Emerging approaches employ biomechanical assessment and wearable sensors to monitor load distribution and movement patterns in daily activities, enabling personalised protocols. Prognostic models based on functional scores and gait parameters allow early identification of individuals at risk of rapid decline, informing timely intervention. A multidisciplinary strategy involving physiotherapists, orthopaedic specialists and patient engagement underpins global efforts to reduce disability and enhance quality of life in hip osteoarthritis across diverse healthcare settings.
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Osteoarthritis Management in Hip Rehabilitation publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in osteoarthritis management in hip rehabilitation across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Osteoarthritis (OA): A chronic joint condition marked by cartilage loss, bone remodelling and inflammation leading to pain and stiffness.
Total hip replacement (THR): A surgical procedure replacing the diseased hip joint with prosthetic components to relieve pain and restore function.
Hip adduction moment: The rotational force acting on the hip in the frontal plane, indicative of medial joint loading during stance.
Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS): A patient-reported questionnaire assessing pain, stiffness, function in daily living, function in sports/recreation and hip-related quality of life.
References
- Lower limb joint loading in patients with unilateral hip osteoarthritis during bipedal stance and the effect of total hip replacement. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (2023).
- Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score trajectories and prognostic factors for functional decline: A 3-year follow-up study. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (2024).
- Effect of exercise therapy in patients with hip osteoarthritis: A systematic review and cumulative meta-analysis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open (2023).
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