What causes Adult Hip Dysplasia?

The cause of adolescent and adult hip dysplasia is obscure. Doctors are just becoming aware that infant screening detects only 10% of dysplasia that causes arthritis in adults. Hip instability in babies can usually be detected, but one possibility is that some babies have shallow sockets that fail to develop completely or become unstable at an older age. These would not be detected by current methods. There is increasing interest in identifying and treating babies that have shallow sockets that are currently considered borderline normal. Infant hips that are in the lowest 1% of hip development by measurement are usually treated, but perhaps that needs to be reconsidered so that babies in the lowest 5% by measurement are treated. This would require research to prove that early treatment might help prevent adult arthritis. Also simpler and cheaper methods need to be developed if widespread treatment is used for prevention. The International Hip Dysplasia Institute is on the leading edge of these concerns and is directing some of its research efforts towards discovering new methods of prevention that may be possible.

FAQ Adult Hip Dysplasia | International Hip Dysplasia Institute