The cartilage, which is a protective layer over the hip bone acts as a nice smooth surface for two joints to move with each other and also as a “cushion” against loads and forces when we move.
As we age, for some this happens early in life, this cartilage layer is often affected and worn.
This exposes parts of the subcondral bone (bone underneath the cartilage) to becoming irritated and inflamed.
Inflammation creates nociception, a signal to the brain, warning that something is wrong in the joint.
As that signal is processed by the brain, we experience pain in the hip.
O.A is a degenerative process, where over time the disease progresses and the joint itself can even change shape.
Over the long-haul if the joint is put under too much stress or abnormal loading, you will can get a painful hip!
Funnily enough, changes in joint shape, as seen on a scan or report from a radiographer, doesn’t always mean you’ll be in pain.
There is a poor correlation between joint pathology and the amount of pain a person experiences, this is because each person experiences pain differently.