Groin Pain While Doing Yoga... Hip Dysplasia Warning for Women in Their 30s to 50s [Kok! Health]

Structural Abnormalities as a Cause of Hip Arthritis
Cartilage Wear Progresses Without Early Symptoms
When Arthritis Reaches the Final Stage,
Hip Replacement Surgery Becomes Inevitable

Arthritis is commonly recognized as a degenerative disease caused by aging. However, in the hip joint, congenital or developmental structural abnormalities can lead to arthritis at a relatively early age in a significant number of cases. In recent years, the number of young patients complaining of hip pain has been increasing rapidly, warranting caution.

Image generated by Google Gemini.

According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service on January 31, the number of patients with hip dysplasia caused by structural defects reached 7,842 last year, up 171% over the past five years. There were 5,616 female patients, more than 2.5 times the number of male patients (2,226), and 27.5% of all patients were in their 30s to 50s.

Hip dysplasia is a congenital or developmental disorder in which the acetabulum, which serves as the pelvis' socket, does not adequately cover the femoral head (the upper part of the thigh bone). It often has no distinct symptoms during the growth period, but progresses to pain after reaching adulthood. The key problem is structural instability. Because the hip joint does not articulate normally, body weight is concentrated on specific areas, which accelerates cartilage wear. Repeated acetabular labral tears and cartilage damage eventually lead to secondary arthritis.

Ko Youngseung, an orthopedic surgeon at Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, explained, "Cases of subtle dysplasia that went undiagnosed in the past are now being detected early thanks to advances in medicine," adding, "A shift in awareness, with people actively visiting hospitals rather than enduring pain, is also behind the increase in patient numbers."

Do Not Dismiss Groin Pain as Simple Muscle Soreness

The hip joint is a key joint responsible for walking and everyday movements, but in hip dysplasia, early symptoms are not pronounced, making early detection difficult. If a person continues high-intensity exercise without recognizing the structural abnormality, cartilage damage can progress rapidly.

The representative suspicious symptoms are a dull and throbbing pain in the groin or beside the pelvis when walking, climbing stairs, or sitting cross-legged. When pain worsens after prolonged walking, or when there is a sense of restricted movement during motions that spread and close the legs, hip joint abnormalities should be suspected. Professor Ko said, "Many young patients mistake it for simple muscle soreness and leave it unattended, only to come to the hospital when the cartilage is almost completely worn out," and added, "If groin pain recurs, you must undergo a thorough examination."

When arthritis caused by hip dysplasia progresses to its final stage, total hip replacement surgery becomes unavoidable. Postoperative lifestyle management is also important. Sitting with legs crossed, squatting on the floor, and excessively bending at the waist should be avoided. Professor Ko advised, "A floor-sitting lifestyle tends to place a heavy burden on the hip joint, so it is better to switch to a standing-height lifestyle using beds and chairs," and added, "You need to manage your weight and perform strength training in parallel to extend the lifespan of the artificial joint and regain pain-free, unrestricted movement."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.