Hip dysplasia

Key facts

Hip dysplasia can happen when your hip joint does not develop properly — it’s usually diagnosed in babies, but symptoms may appear later in life.
Hip dysplasia may be caused by loose tendons around the hip joint or a hip socket joint that is too shallow.
The most common symptom of hip dysplasia is sharp pain in the groin area that gets worse with activity.
Treatment of hip dysplasia may include wearing a brace, exercises to strengthen your hip or surgery.
Complications of hip dysplasia include reduced hip movement and having a limp when walking.

What is hip dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia is when your hip joint does not develop properly.

The hip joint is made of a ball and a socket. The top of the femur (thighbone) is the ball. This fits into the socket, which is the acetabulum (the curved part of the pelvis).

The femur can move out of the acetabulum if the:

tendons around the hip joint are loose or stretched
acetabulum is too shallow
femoral head is too small

This causes the hip to become unstable — this is called hip dysplasia.

Hip dysplasia is often diagnosed in babies. However, adolescents and adults may also have symptoms later in life — this can happen if hip dysplasia was not found earlier in life.

Hip dysplasia diagnosed in babies and children can often be repaired. If not treated in childhood, hip dysplasia can cause damage to your hip joint as you get older.

Read more about hip dysplasia in babies.

Illustration showing hip joint, ball and socket. — Illustration showing hip joint, ball (femur) and socket (the acetabulum).

What are the symptoms of hip dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia in toddlers and young children is not usually painful.

If your child has hip dysplasia, they might:

be late in sitting or walking
walk with a limp

In adolescents and adults, the main symptom of hip dysplasia is sharp pain. This pain is usually:

in the groin area
worse with activity
better when you are resting

When moving your hip, you might also notice a sensation of:

catching
snapping
popping

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

What causes hip dysplasia?

The exact cause of hip dysplasia is not known. Hip dysplasia is more common in:

people with a family history of hip dysplasia
firstborn children
females

When should I see my doctor?

See your doctor if you:

have any symptoms of hip dysplasia
have a limp or notice changes to your walking
notice stiffness or reduced movement in your hip
experience changes in your hip that you are worried about

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

How is hip dysplasia diagnosed?

If your doctor thinks you have hip dysplasia they will:

examine you, this may include moving your hip joint into different positions
ask about your symptoms
refer you for an x-ray

Preparing for an appointment? See our tips on questions to ask your doctor.

How is hip dysplasia treated?

Treatment for hip dysplasia depends on:

your age
how severe the condition is
whether you have arthritis

Treatment of hip dysplasia aims to help keep the hip working for as long as possible. This may include:

anti-inflammatory medicine to help manage any pain
physical activity and hip strengthening exercises. Speak to a physiotherapist about exercising with hip dysplasia.

Surgery can sometimes help to re-shape the pelvis so that your hip joint sits in a more normal position. This will help reduce pain and slow down the damage to your joint.

In some cases, you may eventually need hip replacement surgery.

What are the complications of hip dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia is a common cause of hip pain in adults. Other complications of hip dysplasia include:

reduced hip movement
leg length difference
having an abnormal walking pattern, such as a limp
hip instability
osteonecrosis (death of bone due to poor blood supply)

Many adults with hip dysplasia develop osteoarthritis (an ongoing condition that causes joint pain). Learn more about living with osteoarthritis.

Can hip dysplasia be prevented?

The best way to prevent problems with hip dysplasia is to diagnose and treat it early.

There are things you can do to prevent hip dysplasia after your baby is born. This includes:

using baby carriers that improve hip position
using safe breastfeeding positions. Ask for advice from a lactation consultant or the Australian Breastfeeding Association.

Resources and support

The Healthy Hips Australia (Opens in new tab) page has information on:

Visit the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network (Opens in new tab) for more information on:

Visit the Arthritis Australia (Opens in new tab) page for resources on:

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.