Arthroscopic hip surgery increases in popularity The popularity of arthroscopic hip surgery has increased in recent years, with a more than 600% increase between 2006 and 2010 in the United States. But although the minimally invasive procedure, often performed on an outpatient basis, may be preferred, a recent study published in Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery found that it may not be the best option for older patients or those with arthritis. Researchers at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City looked at more than 7,000 arthroscopies in California and Florida with two years follow-up. Dr. David Mayman, an orthopedic surgeon at HSS and senior study author said "One of the goals of our study...
Conservative Treatment for Hip OA With millions of Americans facing hip osteoarthritis (OA) at some point in our lives – 25% of us – it is increasingly important for our healthcare system to focus on treatments that are both cost-effective and provide the best possible patient outcomes. Historically, conservative treatment for hip OA in the US focuses more on painkillers, NSAIDs, and waiting for it to get bad enough to warrant surgery rather than on modern and more effective therapies. Medications do nothing to counter the increasing restrictions of the joint capsule, tightening of muscles around the hips and decreasing mobility and functionality that comes with hip osteoarthritis. If not addressed, these deficits result in decreased activity and exercise leading...
Focus on Treating Hip Pathology Tony Rocklin DPT is known as “the hip guy” in Portland and around the Pacific Northwest. He’s been a physical therapist for 18 years, and for the last ten years has focused on treating hip pathology. Tony went in that direction when he started noticing that there was a big void in how the hip joint was being treated. This was particularly true when compared to the much more advanced research being done on shoulders and knees. He was shocked to find that the general standard of care for hip pathology was painkillers, a cane, and waiting for it to get bad enough for surgery. That led Tony to independent research, reviewing and improving older...
Physical therapy to treat symptoms In this excerpt from his workshop at OPTA 2016, Dr. Tony Rocklin reviews therapeutic exercises for hip osteoarthritis that patients can perform at home to improve their mobility. Tony is a leading advocate for conservative treatment for patients with hip osteoarthritis that isn’t “drug-centric”. While the disease is degenerative and can’t be cured, the symptoms associated with it can be treated. These exercises are an important component of best practices for the conservative treatment of hip osteoarthritis. Those best practices minimize the use of medications and opioids and focus on physical therapy and therapeutic exercise to relieve the pain and improve mobility for patients. Unlike the use of drugs, which focus just on relieving pain, physical...
Self-management when surgery isn’t an option In the second part of this podcast, Tony Rocklin DPT discusses self-management of chronic hip pain with moderator Benoy Mathew. The discussion begins around the case of a 46-year-old male with chronic hip pain. His MRI scan showed cam impingement with labral tears. His surgeon told him he’s too young for a hip replacement and too old for an arthroscopy. That’s particularly true since there’s now evidence that the arthroscopy could make things worse, and force him into a hip replacement within 2 or 3 years. The result for the patient is that he needs to manage his symptoms for the next ten or fifteen years – preferably without giving up the activities he enjoys. Tony...
