Signs and Symptoms of Degenerative Hip Joint Disease

Degenerative hip joint disease, or osteoarthritis, is a progressive condition resulting in the erosion of the hip joint cartilage and, in severe cases, atrophy of the bone.

Hip Pain

1. The most common symptom of degenerative hip joint disease is hip pain. Depending on the severity of the hip disease, pain can range from mild and intermittent in earlier stages of the disease to severe and chronic in more advanced cases.

Hip Stiffness

2. Hip stiffness is a common symptom of degenerative hip joint disease. The degree of hip stiffness normally coincides with the severity of the disease.

Shortened Leg

3. Severe cases of degenerative hip joint disease often cause a shortening of the affected leg. This results from both a thinning of the hip joint cartilage as well as a wearing away of the bone.

Thigh Atrophy

4. Thigh atrophy, characterized by weakened and shrunken thigh muscles, is a common sign and is due to the altered hip and leg biomechanics that commonly occur as a result of hip joint disease.

Knee Pain

5. Due to the nerve pathways that run from the hip joint down into the lower leg and knee area, it is common for degenerative hip joint disease to cause knee pain.