Expert Sports Injury
Care in San Diego

Hip pain typically starts gradually. Sometimes after a long walk, during tennis, while getting out of your car, or after sitting through an entire movie. At first, you may think you simply need to stretch more or accept that your joint is wearing out as you age. The reality is more encouraging. Many painful hips can be treated without replacing the joint, especially when problems are identified early.

According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, more than 450,000 total hip replacements are performed each year in the United States, but having persistent hip pain does not necessarily mean you are a candidate for joint replacement. Many younger, active adults have hip problems that may be corrected while preserving their natural hip. 

Read on to learn how the best orthopedic surgeon in San Diego can help you decide between hip preservation surgery and a hip replacement. 

How to Know Whether My Hip Joint Can Be Fixed?

The first question most of our patients ask is simple, “Can I keep my own hip?” In many cases, the answer is yes, especially when cartilage damage is still limited.  

Hip preservation surgery focuses on correcting the underlying mechanical problem before it causes permanent joint deterioration. Rather than replacing the joint, this type of hip surgery restores normal movement and reduces the abnormal forces that continue damaging cartilage. Patients who benefit from joint preservation surgery include those with:

• Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)
• Hip labral tears
• Hip dysplasia
• Cartilage injuries
• Certain athletic overuse injuries
• Early arthritis with preserved cartilage

Many of our patients believe that severe hip pain automatically means severe arthritis. Pain intensity does not always reflect the amount of arthritis seen on imaging. Sometimes even the most painful hips have very little arthritis, while advanced arthritis may sometimes produce surprisingly modest discomfort. 

What Hip Conditions Respond Best to Hip Preservation Surgery?

Hip preservation is most successful when treatment addresses the cause of pain. One of the best procedures is hip arthroscopy in San Diego — a minimally invasive surgery performed through small incisions using a tiny camera and specialized instruments. Hip arthroscopy can be used to:

• Repair torn labral tissue
• Remove damaged cartilage fragments
• Correct femoroacetabular impingement
• Restore smoother joint movement
• Reduce further cartilage wear

Many athletes and highly active adults benefit from this approach because the surgery corrects mechanical abnormalities while allowing them to return to the activities they enjoy. However, hip arthroscopy is not appropriate for everyone.

If arthritis has already destroyed large portions of cartilage, repairing the labrum alone will not eliminate bone-on-bone contact. In these cases, joint preservation procedures often provide only temporary improvement. This is one reason seeing the best hip preservation surgeon in San Diego before arthritis progresses too far is important.

When Is Hip Replacement a Better Treatment Option?

There comes a point when preserving the joint is no longer the best solution. Hip replacement is the preferred option when cartilage damage has become too advanced for repair. At that stage, replacing the worn joint typically provides more reliable pain relief and improved function. Signs that replacement may be appropriate include:

• Bone-on-bone arthritis
• Significant cartilage loss
• Hip stiffness that limits daily activities
• Pain that occurs even while resting
• Symptoms that have not improved with conservative treatment
• Progressive loss of mobility

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In most cases, joint replacement truly is the right operation because the joint has reached the point where preserving it would not provide durable results. The good news is modern hip replacements are among the most successful orthopedic procedures performed today, and most patients experience dramatic improvements in pain, walking ability, and quality of life after recovery.

What Is the Difference Between Hip Preservation Surgery and a Hip Replacement?

Both surgeries aim to reduce pain and restore movement, but they accomplish that goal differently: 

When Should I Consider Seeing a Hip Specialist Instead of an Orthopedic Doctor?

Many people wait months or even years before seeing an orthopedic specialist because they hope the pain will simply disappear. Unfortunately, certain hip conditions become more difficult to treat over time. You should schedule an evaluation if you notice:

• Groin pain during activity
• Pain with twisting or pivoting
• Hip clicking or catching
• Decreasing range of motion
• Difficulty putting on shoes or socks
• Pain that wakes you at night
• Symptoms lasting longer than several weeks

The earlier the underlying cause is identified, the more treatment options are typically available. In fact, many patients improve with physical therapy, activity modification, injections, or regenerative treatments when problems are diagnosed before extensive joint damage develops.

Finding the Best Orthopedic Surgeon in San Diego for Hip Preservation Surgery

Choosing between hip preservation and joint replacement requires a deep understanding of your joint condition and selecting the treatment that offers the best long-term outcome. The orthopedic experts at San Diego Performance Orthopedics & Regenerative Therapy can identify when preserving healthy cartilage can help maintain your natural hip, and when a hip replacement for advanced arthritis is a better option. 

Our team is led by Dr. Sanjum Samagh, who combines fellowship training in sports medicine and hip arthroscopy with extensive experience treating everyone from recreational athletes to professional competitors. This is why we are trusted by patients across Leucadia, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Cardiff, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Torrey Pines, throughout North San Diego County, and across Southern California. 

Ready to get thoughtful recommendations from the best orthopedic surgeon in San Diego based on what will deliver the best long-term result?