Hip Pain Flashcards
Mr T, 67 year old man with painful R hip
PHx: IHD, HTN, obesity, severe GN 20 years ago
SHx: lives with wife in double storey house, recently retired from sales, enjoys lawn bowls and caravan travelling
What associated symptoms would you ask about?
How would you assess severity?
Associated Sx: stiffness, clicking/grating, limping, leg weakness (sensation of giving way), limb numbness/paraesthesia
Assessing Sx severity/impact: PADL/DADL/CADL limitations e.g. walking distance/mobility, sleep disturbance, analgesia/NSAID use
What structures refer pain to the buttock, groin, anterior thigh and lateral pelvis?
Buttock: lumbosacral spine, hip joint
Groin: hip joint, lumbosacral spine, SI joint
Anterior thigh: hip joint
Lateral pelvis: gluteal muscles, trochanteric bursa
What nerves innervate the hip joint?
Femoral and obturator nerves (both L2-L4)
Superior gluteal nerve, and nerve to quadratus femoris (both L4-S1)
Mr T, 67 year old man with painful R hip
Rx: metoprolol 50mg bd, candesartan 16mg mane, aspirin 100mg mane, simvastatin 20mg
Mr T’s pain has been present for 18/12, gradually getting worse, in groin and anterior thigh
Exacerbated by a recent caravan trip to the Kimberleys
Avoiding going up and down the stairs at home; painful when putting on his socks
Taking paracetamol SR regularly for 3/12, no NSAIDs (increases risk of CV mortality)
What site and type of pathology do you think is the likely cause of Mr T’s pain? Why?
Site: local - bone/joint, soft tissue, or referred - spine, SI joint
Pathology: #, arthritis, bursitis, tendinopathy, but want to exclude infection or tumour
Risk factors for secondary OA
Hx of trauma
Other pre-existing joint disease e.g. gout, inflammatory arthritis, childhood developmental disorders
Avascular necrosis from previous steroid use
Give 3 examples of childhood developmental disorders which may predispose to secondary OA
Congenital hip dysplasia
Perthes
Slipped femoral epiphysis
Describe the steps in the screening rheumatological examination
- Look: while standing, look for wasting (of quads, hamstrings) and abnormalities of alignment (e.g. pelvic tilt, lumbar hyperlordosis, flexed hip posture)
- Look: observe gait (e.g. antalgic - short leg or pain)
- Feel: whilst lying, feel greater trochanter/gluteal region for tenderness
- Move: flexion and extension (Thomas test), IR, ER, abduction, adduction
- Special tests: leg length, Trendelenburg test, spine examination
Describe the GALS system of a screening MSK examination
G: gait appearance and movement (look for asymmetry and joint deformity)
A: arms appearance and movement
L: legs appearance and movement
S: spine appearance and movement
How is apparent leg length vs true leg length measured?
Apparent: from umbilicus to medial malleolus
True: from ASIS to medial malleolus
What does a positive Trendelenburg test indicate?
Inability to control posture; suggests proximal muscle weakness
Describe 4 common abnormalities of posture, comparing to normal posture
Normal spinal alignment: 3 normal curvatures (cervical, thoracic, lumbar)
Scoliosis: sideways curvature of thoracic spine
Sway-back
Flat-back
Kyphosis lordosis posture: curvature of thoracic spine
How do you make a Dx of OA?
Hx: stiffness
O/E: limited ROM esp IR and ER
Ix: no blood test for OA Dx but perform tests to exclude other arthritides (e.g. RA, septic arthritis) IF clinically indicated
Imaging: XR
What findings are expected on XR in OA?
Loss of joint space
Sclerosis
Osteophytes
Subchondral cysts
Describe the epidemiology of OA in Australia
Up to 1.2 million Australians have symptoms of OA (13% classified as disabled or handicapped(
Affects >50% of people >75
Significant problem for >10% of adults still in the workforce
Patients experience a decline in mobility and ability to perform daily activities; this is associated with peripheral weakness and CV deconditioning
What factors contribute to OA patients’ decline in mobility and ADLs as a result of their pain?
Peripheral weakness
CV deconditioning
What are the treatment goals in OA?
Relieve pain
Improve mobility
What kind of therapy best achieves the treatment goals of OA: rest or exercise?
Exercise; rest relieves pain but leads to muscle deconditioning/weakness
Describe non-operative Mx for OA
Exercise
Physiotherapy