PROF. DR. SAMMY HANNAMD · FACS · FRCS (TR&ORTH) · CCT (TR&ORTH)
HIP ARTHRITIS · ABU DHABI
Hip osteoarthritis can cause groin pain, stiffness and loss of movement, but the impact differs from person to person. The assessment connects the symptom pattern, examination, function and imaging where it adds useful information before a proportionate treatment plan is discussed. For hip arthritis treatment in Abu Dhabi, assessment is available at Healthpoint Hospital.
CHAPTER 01 · THE PATTERN
Choose the closest description. Each answer points to what may be useful to assess; it does not diagnose the cause of the symptoms.
This pattern is common with hip joint problems including osteoarthritis, but other causes can overlap. Assessment looks at where pain is felt, what movements provoke it and whether hip motion reproduces the symptoms.
See what the examination checks →CHAPTER 02 · EXAMINATION
The consultation connects symptoms to hip movement, gait and the life they are interrupting. Structural arthritis may be relevant, but it should not replace clinical reasoning.
Back, knee, tendon and other referred pain can create a different pattern.
Groin, thigh, buttock and lateral pain patterns provide useful clues but are not diagnostic on their own.
Flexion, rotation, gait and functional movement help show how much the joint is restricting activity.
Walking, shoes and socks, stairs, sleep, work, exercise and independence matter more than a pain score alone.
Traumatic, inflammatory, infective and referred causes need consideration when the pattern does not fit routine osteoarthritis.
“The useful question is not only what the X-ray shows, but what the hip is preventing the person from doing.”
CHAPTER 03 · IMAGING
When imaging is useful, plain X-rays can show joint-space loss, osteophytes and other structural changes. Additional imaging is selected only when a specific question is likely to change the diagnosis or treatment plan.
SELECTED OBSERVATION 01 / 03
CHAPTER 05 · DECISION
Not because an X-ray looks worn. Replacement may become relevant when persistent pain, stiffness and meaningful functional limitation remain despite appropriate non-operative care, and the diagnosis and imaging support that route.
The symptom pattern, examination and imaging point to the hip joint as the main problem.
Walking, sleep, work, self-care or independence are affected enough to justify the trade-offs.
Relevant non-operative options have been considered, tried or are no longer suitable.
Benefits, limitations, risks, rehabilitation and expectations are discussed before deciding.
IF REPLACEMENT BECOMES PART OF THE DISCUSSION
The detailed replacement pages explain the primary and revision pathways.
THE FUNCTION THAT MATTERS
For one person, success may mean walking through the working day. For another, it may be shoes and socks, travelling, stairs, exercise or preserving independence. Those goals belong in the decision from the start.
RELATED HIP ROUTES
Use the related pages when the main question is impingement, replacement or a problem with an existing implant.
HIP ARTHRITIS FAQ
General information only. A diagnosis and personal recommendation require an individual clinical assessment.
Request an appointmentHip osteoarthritis is degeneration of the hip joint that can cause pain, stiffness and reduced function. Symptoms and X-ray changes vary between people, so treatment is based on the full clinical picture.
Pain is often felt in the groin or front of the thigh and may also be felt around the buttock or side of the hip. The examination helps determine whether the hip joint is the main source.
No. Plain X-rays are commonly used when imaging is needed to assess osteoarthritis. MRI or other imaging is reserved for selected questions when it is likely to change management.
Appropriate exercise and physical therapy can help maintain movement, strength and function. The programme should be tailored to symptoms, ability and general health.
No. Many people are treated without surgery. Replacement is considered when symptoms and loss of function remain substantial despite appropriate non-operative care and the overall assessment supports surgery.
Total hip replacement may enter the discussion when joint damage causes significant pain, stiffness and functional limitation despite appropriate non-operative care, and the benefits and trade-offs have been reviewed.
Seek urgent medical assessment for severe pain after an injury with inability to bear weight or deformity, a hot swollen joint with fever, or new leg swelling with chest pain or sudden breathlessness.
YOUR CLINICAL STORY
Bring the symptoms, the timeline, previous imaging and the activities hip pain is changing. The consultation connects those pieces before the treatment conversation begins.
YOUR SPECIALIST
Prof. Hanna is a UK board-certified consultant orthopaedic hip and knee surgeon at Healthpoint Hospital, Abu Dhabi. His clinical interests include primary and revision hip and knee replacement, robotic-assisted joint replacement and arthroscopic treatment of selected sports and soft-tissue conditions.