Hip Preservation
Hip preservation focuses on diagnosing and treating early hip problems to help patients maintain their natural joints for as long as possible. Using a combination of surgical and nonsurgical techniques, hip preservation corrects structural imbalances, improves joint function, and relieves pain caused by impingement or cartilage injury, allowing patients to return to daily life with improved comfort and long-term joint health.
Online Guide to Joint Replacement
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What Is Hip Preservation?
Hip preservation focuses on correcting the underlying causes of hip pain and damage before arthritis develops. These conditions are often the result of bone shape differences or injuries that affect how the hip joint moves.
By restoring joint alignment and reducing friction, hip preservation procedures help protect cartilage and labral tissue, allowing for smoother and more natural movement.
Common hip preservation procedures include:
- Arthroscopic surgery to repair labral tears & remove bone spurs
- Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) to correct hip dysplasia
- Surgical dislocation for impingement or complex deformities
- Labral reconstruction to restore stability & function
- Cartilage restoration to repair joint surface damage
When Is Hip Preservation Recommended?
Hip preservation may be recommended for patients who have hip pain caused by mechanical or structural problems rather than advanced arthritis. Early treatment can relieve pain, prevent further joint damage, and help preserve your natural hip joint.
Hip preservation can be beneficial for many types of hip conditions, including:
- Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)
- Labral tears
- Hip dysplasia
- Cartilage injuries
- Loose bodies in the joint
- Post-traumatic deformities
If you experience hip pain during activity, sitting, or twisting movements, especially in the groin or outer hip, you may benefit from a hip preservation evaluation.
Videos
Watch educational videos that explain how your procedure is performed, what to expect during recovery, and how the procedure can restore comfort and mobility.
Is Hip Preservation Right for You?
You may be a candidate for hip preservation if you have ongoing hip pain that limits daily activity and has not improved with conservative treatments such as therapy or injections. Your doctor will carefully evaluate the cause of your hip pain and discuss whether hip preservation offers the best approach to improving mobility and protecting your joint for the long term.
Hip Preservation FAQ
Hip preservation refers to treatments—both surgical and nonsurgical—aimed at correcting problems in the hip joint to relieve pain, improve function, and prevent or delay arthritis. The goal is to protect your natural joint rather than replace it.
You may be a candidate if you have ongoing hip pain, especially during activity, and imaging shows a structural problem such as femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), hip dysplasia, or a labral tear—but without advanced arthritis. A hip specialist can confirm whether hip preservation is right for you.
Benefits can include:
- Relief from pain
- Improved mobility & strength
- Preservation of your natural hip joint
- Delayed or avoided hip replacement in the future
Hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive hip preservation technique that repairs existing tissue and reshapes the bone to improve joint function. Hip replacement involves removing damaged bone and cartilage and replacing them with artificial components. Preservation is usually preferred for younger patients without severe arthritis.
Recovery time depends on the procedure:
- Hip arthroscopy: 3 to 6 months for most activities
- Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) or femoral osteotomy: 6 to 12 months
- Your orthopedic surgeon will provide a personalized rehabilitation plan.
No. While athletes often benefit, hip preservation is for anyone—active or not—who has a correctable structural issue in the hip and wants to maintain joint health.
Possibly, but successful hip preservation can delay the need for replacement by many years, allowing you to stay active with your natural joint for as long as possible.