Hip Treatment

Your hips support your full body weight while allowing for a wide range of motion, making them susceptible to injury and arthritis. Aging, arthritis, and trauma are common causes of hip pain and decreased function. Falls are a leading cause of hip fractures among older adults, and osteoarthritis causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in the hip joint. Osteoarthritis typically affects people in their senior years, as well as physically active middle-aged adults and athletes.

Surgeons at UVM Health Network - CVMC offer a complete range of hip pain treatment options, from minimally invasive surgery to non-surgical techniques, where possible. We will partner with you to develop the treatment plan that works best for your condition.

Non-Surgical Treatments for Hip Pain

Early non-surgical treatments can help you avoid and reduce hip pain and disability. They can also slow progression of your condition.

Lifestyle Changes

An important first step for many patients is to modify your lifestyle. Taking steps to avoid high-impact activities can be helpful. For example:

• Switch from running or jumping exercises to swimming or cycling
• Minimize activities that aggravate the condition, such as climbing stairs
• Lose weight if you are overweight
• Rest your knee from overuse

Physical Therapy and Activity

Our highly skilled physical therapists work closely with you to help increase your joint's range of motion and strengthen muscles. Physical therapy and activity can reduce your hip pain and improve its functioning. Learn more about CVMC’s Physical Therapy team.

Assistive Devices

Patients also benefit from using supportive devices such as a cane, energy-absorbing shoes or inserts, or a brace or knee sleeve, which may help relieve the stress and strain on your joints.

Other Treatments

Additional methods may be recommended to relieve hip pain and improve functioning. These can include:

• Applying heat or ice
• Doing water exercises
• Using liniments
• Using elastic bandages

Medication

Medication can be a very effective option for treating hip pain. We offer the full range of medical therapies and the latest medicines available to treat your condition. Click here to learn more about injections available at UVM Health Network – CVMC.

Surgery for Hip Pain

You will benefit from the latest advances in hip surgery at UVM Health Network - CVMC Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. Our orthopedic surgeons possess the highest level of training for performing joint restoration, leading-edge minimally invasive hip replacement, total joint hip replacement (including anterior hip replacement) and hip arthroscopy.

Joint Restoration

In some cases, a patient's joint is in good enough condition that it does not need to be replaced. Instead, the bones in your hip can be repositioned to reduce your pain. Our orthopedic surgeons work with you to determine whether a joint restoration method may be the right fit. These methods include:

Osteotomy

This procedure involves cutting or realigning the bones of the hip. Goals of the procedure include:

• Shift weight from damaged cartilage area to a healthy area
• Restore hip function
• Reduce osteoarthritis pain
• Delay the need for joint replacement surgery
• Usually recommended for younger patients with early arthritis

Benefits

• Low rate of dislocation following surgery
• Potential to last longer than traditional hip implants

Hip resurfacing, while gaining in popularity, is not appropriate for everyone. We will work with you to determine if this is the right method for you.

Hip Replacement Surgery

Our orthopedic surgeons perform both partial and total hip replacement. Improvements in surgical techniques and technology have greatly increased the effectiveness of total hip replacement. In many cases, you are able to return to the activities you love with no pain. In fact, studies have shown that hip replacement has a greater impact on quality of life than many other types of surgery.

Partial Hip Replacement

A partial hip replacement may be recommended if only one part of your hip is damaged or diseased. In most cases, surgeons will leave the hip socket intact, and replace the ball side (the top of the thighbone) of the joint.

Total Hip Replacement

Total hip replacement is among the most common and successful of orthopedic surgeries.

To perform total hip replacement, our surgeons remove the top of your thighbone and replace your hip's ball-and-socket mechanism with artificial implants. We use the latest technology available, including a wide range of implants designed to match your age, gender and lifestyle.

Minimally Invasive & Small Incision Hip Replacement Surgery

We offer the latest, minimally invasive techniques for total hip replacement. Using these methods can make a big difference in your life and offers many benefits for those who qualify.

Benefits

• Often offers less discomfort
• Less blood loss
• Shorter hospitalization and rehabilitation
• Earlier return to work
• Smaller, less visible scar
• Reduced damage to muscles, tendons and the supporting structures of the joint

This type of surgery is most often recommended for patients who are young, healthy and motivated to have a quick recovery.

If you are experiencing hip pain, call us today at 802-225-3970 to learn more about our comprehensive hip treatments.