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Your hip is a ball-and-socket joint. Hip dysplasia is when the femoral head (ball at the top of your femur) doesn't fit correctly into the acetabulum (hip socket) and creates instability.
Without appropriate management, this condition can cause pain and lead to cartilage damage and early arthritis.
Hip dysplasia can occur both in childhood and during the teenage and young adult years.
At the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Hip Preservation Program at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, we specialize in treating individuals with hip dysplasia.
Call 412-692-5530 to make an appointment with one of our hip dysplasia experts.
In order for our hips to function normally, the hip socket should cover and stabilize the ball part of the femur.
Sometimes part of the joint doesn't form the way it should. With hip dysplasia, the hip socket doesn't fully cover the ball part of the femur, which leads to feelings of instability and pain.
Though doctors often treat infants for hip dysplasia, many people don't have symptoms until adolescence.
Hip dysplasia doesn't have a clear cause. Though it runs in families, we haven't been able to figure out a specific genetic marker. However, hip dysplasia is more common in girls and in first-born children.
Sometimes symptoms associated with hip dysplasia will present themselves during the teenage or young adult years. This is because significant changes in the shape of the ball and socket can happen toward the end of growth.
Over time, hip dysplasia can:
That's why we focus on identifying and treating hip dysplasia sooner, rather than later.
Michael McClincy, MD, is one of few surgeons in the Pittsburgh region who performs advanced hip preservation surgeries.
Our team of experts, including radiologists and physical therapists, work together to diagnose and treat young people with hip dysplasia.
We offer access to clinical trials and research that helps us advance how we treat hip disorders. It also means you get early access to new treatments for hip dysplasia.
Hip pain in teenagers and young adults with dysplasia is common, and these symptoms may get worse activities like walking and running.
Playing sports or being active can add to the wear and tear of the hip joint that happens with dysplasia.
Hip dysplasia symptoms in teens and young adults include:
We always start by taking a medical history and doing a physical exam.
To confirm hip dysplasia, we may order noninvasive imaging such as:
At the AYA Hip Preservation Program, we have special training in interpreting these scans. That matters for helping you get timely diagnosis and treatment for your hip condition.
We want to prevent further damage and help you be able to move pain-free. We'll tailor your treatment based on your physical examination findings and individual goals.
We always start with nonsurgical treatments for hip dysplasia such as:
If your hip dysplasia symptoms don't improve after trying other non-surgical treatments, we may suggest surgery. It may also be a good option if you have damage to your cartilage.
The surgery of choice for adolescents with hip dysplasia is a periacetabular osteotomy (PAO).
A PAO is a way to reposition the hip socket to maximize its coverage of the the ball at the top of your thigh bone.
Along with a PAO, you may also need hip arthroscopy to repair a torn labrum.
We're unique at the AYA Hip Preservation Program in that we can do both a PAO and hip arthroscopy at the same. That means one course of anesthesia and one recovery.
After a PAO, we help to rehabilitate your hip so you can make a full recovery. Our physical therapy team gets involved at the start of your treatment and stays with you each step of the way.
Grace Brueggman underwent a PAO at UPMC Children’s to address her hip dysplasia.
Read her story.
To make an appointment for hip dysplasia, call 412-692-5530.
Children's Hospital's main campus is located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. Our main hospital address is:
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh One Children’s Hospital Way 4401 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15224
In addition to the main hospital, Children's has many convenient locations in other neighborhoods throughout the greater Pittsburgh region.
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