Treating Hip Arthritis in Perth
Treatment for hip osteoarthritis in Perth — why the pain is felt in the groin, what works before surgery, when hip replacement is considered, and which approach suits. Assessment with Dr Rhys Clark at Murdoch and Mandurah.
This page covers treatment — what helps hip arthritis, when replacement enters the conversation, and which surgical approach suits.
If you want the condition itself explained first, Understanding Hip Arthritis is a plain-English guide written to be read before an appointment.
The science of cartilage
Your joints have a layer of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber for your bones. In the hip, there is a ball and socket joint which connects the leg and the pelvis. The cartilage in the hip allows for smooth, pain-free movement; however, when this cartilage gets damaged or worn out, you can start to experience pain symptoms. This pain can mean restricted movement; it can mean a restricted life.
“Once your cartilage is damaged or worn out, it doesn’t grow back. And, without cartilage there’s no cushioning between the bones. This can cause a lot of pain when you try to maintain an active lifestyle,” says Dr Rhys Clark.
Where the pain is felt, and why it matters
The major symptom is groin pain, usually intensifying after a long walk or other exercise. It can refer down the front of the thigh toward the knee — occasionally the knee is where a patient notices it first.
“Most of my patients with hip arthritis experience this kind of groin pain alongside joint stiffness. These symptoms can make it hard to bend down and can often be worse after activity or in the cold.”
The location genuinely matters diagnostically. Pain on the outer side of the hip, over the bony point, more often comes from the gluteal tendons or the bursa than from the joint itself — a different problem, covered on the bursitis and gluteal tendinopathy page, and one usually managed without surgery.
Establishing which structure the pain is coming from determines the treatment, and it is the first thing to get right.
The everyday marker most people recognise: difficulty putting on shoes and socks. It shows up early, because it demands exactly the combination of flexion and rotation an arthritic hip loses first.
What helps before surgery
There is no cure for osteoarthritis, but there is a good deal that helps, and it is usually where treatment starts:
- Physiotherapy and strengthening, to support the joint and maintain what movement you have
- Anti-inflammatory and pain medication, used sensibly and reviewed with your GP
- Activity modification — often switching to lower-impact exercise rather than stopping
- A walking stick, used in the opposite hand, which offloads the hip more than people expect
- Weight management, because the hip is a major weight-bearing joint
For many people these control symptoms for a long time. Surgery becomes a reasonable conversation when they stop working.
When is a hip replacement considered?
There is no X-ray appearance and no age that automatically means it is time. What matters is the effect on your life:
- Is pain persisting despite the non-surgical measures above?
- Have everyday activities — walking, stairs, bending, getting in and out of a chair or car — become difficult?
- Is it waking you at night?
- Is stiffness after sitting or sleeping now part of every day?
- Have you narrowed what you do to avoid provoking it?
“My work is always centred on getting people back to a pain-free life. In some cases, my patients can’t remember a time when activity didn’t involve pain. But that’s where I can make a lasting change to their future.”
Total hip replacement is among the most reliably successful operations in surgery — more than 90% of patients achieve significant pain relief, and roughly 90% of replacements are still working well 18 years afterwards.
Which approach?
Once replacement is decided on, the next question is the route to the joint. Dr Clark generally prefers the direct anterior approach, which works between muscles rather than through them and leaves you with no post-operative movement restrictions.
It is not right for everyone — body shape, previous surgery and anatomy can make a posterior approach the better choice — and the evidence indicates outcomes converge by six to twelve months regardless. What matters most is that the implant is well positioned.
What happens at your appointment
Assessment involves your history — what the hip stops you doing, what you have already tried — an examination, and imaging, usually starting with an X-ray.
Bring your referral, any imaging and reports, a list of your medications, details of any previous hip surgery or injury, and your questions.
To discuss what suits your hip, book a consultation or phone the rooms on (08) 6332 6365.
What does hip arthritis feel like?+
The main symptom is groin pain, which usually intensifies after a long walk or other exercise. Most patients also experience joint stiffness, find it hard to bend down, and notice symptoms are worse after activity or in cold weather. Difficulty putting on shoes and socks is a very common early sign.
Why is the pain in my groin and not my hip?+
Because the hip joint sits deeper and more forward than most people picture. Pain arising from the joint itself is typically felt in the groin, sometimes referred down the front of the thigh towards the knee. Pain on the outer side of the hip, over the bony point, more often comes from the gluteal tendons or bursa than from the joint.
When is a hip replacement considered?+
When pain persists despite non-surgical treatment and everyday activities have become difficult — walking, stairs, bending, getting in and out of chairs or the car. Night pain and stiffness after sitting or sleeping also point to advanced arthritis. It is based on how much the hip is limiting you, not on how it looks on an X-ray.
Is there a cure for hip osteoarthritis?+
No. There are non-surgical methods to relieve symptoms, but there is no cure. Once cartilage is damaged or worn out it does not grow back, which leaves no cushioning between the bones. Hip replacement is what returns most patients to an active lifestyle.
What can I do before considering surgery?+
Physiotherapy and strengthening, anti-inflammatory and pain medication, activity modification, walking aids where helpful, and weight management all have a role. These are usually worked through first, and for many people they control symptoms for a long time.
Does hip replacement work well?+
It is among the most reliably successful operations in surgery. More than 90% of patients achieve significant pain relief, around 90 to 95% report satisfaction with the outcome, and roughly 90% of hip replacements are still in place and working well 18 years after surgery.
Am I too old, or too young, for a hip replacement?+
Age alone rarely decides it. What matters is how much the arthritis limits you, your general health and fitness for surgery, and what the alternatives realistically offer. Younger patients are counselled that an implant has a finite life and further surgery later becomes more likely.