Compensatory disorders around the hip

Abstract

Evaluating the painful hip in the absence of osteoarthritis requires a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the potential underlying abnormal joint mechanics that predispose the hip joint and the associated hemipelvis to asymmetric loads. These asymmetric loads and abnormal joint kinematics secondary to underlying abnormal bony morphology can result in labral and cartilage injury, musculotendinous injury, as well as resultant injury to the neural structures about the hemipelvis. Without having a clear understanding of how mechanical factors can result in such a wide range of compensatory injury patterns about the hip, appropriate diagnosis and treatment recommendations cannot be made.