The ends of the bones are covered with cartilage. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage becomes cracked and pitted, and no longer allows smooth movement of the joint. When cartilage wears away in a weight bearing joint such as the hip or knee, it can produce severe pain, deformity, and loss of mobility. The hip is a closed ball and socket joint with the socket located in the pelvis and the head of the thigh bone forming the ball. This joint is deep in the body, well protected by large muscles and capable of great range of movement.
Few people know precisely where to find their hip joint.
This is because the bone which is often referred to as the hip is, in fact, the widest part of the upper thigh which is frequently measured for clothing. The hip joint is in the groin. The hip is one of the main weight bearing joints of the body connecting the two large bones of our legs to the pelvic girdle. The pelvis in turn is connected to our upper body by the spine. Total hip replacement is a major operation which involves completely removing the worn or damaged ball of the hip joint.