Hip conditions we treat

At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, we focus on hip preservation, working to prevent premature wear and tear of the hip and helping patients attain pain-free, functional hip use throughout their adult life. Our orthopedic physicians specialize in treatments for an extensive range of hip conditions, including:

  • Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI): an underlying structural abnormality in the hip joint formation of the ball or socket that results in soft tissue getting trapped between bones
  • Hip labral tears: tears in the cartilage located on the rim of your hip joint socket
  • Hip dysplasia: misaligned hip socket or misshapen hip joint
  • Trochanteric bursitis: inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs at outer aspect of the hip joint
  • Snapping hip syndrome: constant popping in the outer hip when walking, getting up from a seated position or swinging your leg
  • Hip arthritis in the young and active patient: often the post-traumatic result of an injury to a joint
  • Osteonecrosis: a disease that results in reduced blood flow to bones in the joints and inability for the body to make new bone to replace broken down bone
  • Proximal hamstring injuries: may be a pull, partial tear or complete tear in a hamstring muscle
  • Lateral hip pain: pain from the side, or lateral, part of the hip
  • Hip arthroscopy: allows surgeons to see damage to the hip using minimally invasive techniques

Should I see a doctor for my hip pain?

Athletes and active individuals may describe hip pain differently because of the variety of ranges of motion and muscle forces each may use. It may be time to be evaluated by a hip specialist if you experience symptoms such as:

  • Inflammation
  • Stiffness or limitation of activity
  • Hip pain during and after activity
  • Pain in the hip and groin area provoked by motion
  • Pressure or tightness
  • Locking or catching sensation in your hip joint

Diagnosis of hip injuries

We want to understand where you’ve been with your hip injury or condition, what you’ve done to manage it, what your limitations are and the affect your condition has on the quality of your everyday life. Our initial patient evaluation starts with a detailed history, review of prior treatment records and physical examination. During the evaluation of your hip, diverse maneuvers and arcs of motion are performed to better gauge the symptomatic areas. X-rays and advanced imaging of the hip, including CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans, are used to detect structural abnormalities, labral tears, hip fractures and other cartilage damage.

How much does hip surgery cost?

The cost of surgery varies by procedure. Please call 614-293-2663 to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon near you to discuss treatment options and costs.

A Closer Look at Sports-Related Hip Issues

Hip Arthroscopy

Dr. Kel Vasileff explains how hip arthroscopy is different than hip replacement and what can be corrected using this type of approach.

Hip arthroscopy surgery: femoral acetabular impingement, labral repair

Using video of a labral repair surgery, William K. Vasileff, MD, an Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center hip specialist, provides patients with an overview of what will happen during this procedure. Dr. Vasileff performs hip arthroscopy by entering the hip joint with an arthroscopic camera and other instruments to repair hip labral tears, and corrects bony problems causing femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).

Hip Preservation

Dr. John Ryan shares how use ongoing research to continue to provide better outcomes for patients with hip pain.

Diagnosing Hip Pain

Dr. Kel Vasileff explains why hip joint issues often get misdiagnosed and how we help using a multimodality approach.

Femoral Acetabular Impingement (FAI)

Dr. John Ryan explains femoral acetabular impingement (FAI).

Nonsurgical Treatments

Nonsurgical hip pain treatments

Nonsurgical hip pain treatments

Ohio State’s Hip Preservation Program is about more than hip surgery; it’s about total care of your hip joint. Our goal is to help you become pain-free while regaining physical strength and good range of motion. Your doctor and care team will create a personalized treatment plan that may include nonsurgical options to improve function, reduce friction or protect the hip joint from degeneration.
  • Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation
  • Sports Orthobiologics

Surgical Treatments

Surgical treatments for labral tears, FAI, and other hip conditions

Surgical treatments for labral tears, FAI, and other hip conditions

For hip conditions that have not improved with nonsurgical care, surgical intervention may be an option. Our hip preservation program utilizes minimally invasive treatments to help young and active adults resume an active lifestyle more quickly. Reshaping and repairing the hip joint restores the anatomy of the hip and gives patients the greatest chance of maintaining a healthy hip, with reduced pain and improved function.


  • Preparing for Hip Surgery at Ohio State
  • Total Hip Replacement

Why Ohio State?

Why choose The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center for treatment of sports-related hip injuries?

Diagnostic Expertise: Through collaborations with researchers in the Department of Radiology at the Wright Center of Innovation, Ohio State has developed advanced imaging techniques for the hip, including cartilage-imaging sequences. Preoperatively, our patients undergo a 3D CT scan of the hip joint, creating a picture of exactly what areas of the bone need to be corrected, allowing more precise surgical management.

Surgical Expertise: We are experts at reshaping, repairing and restoring the hip joint through such surgical techniques as hip arthroscopy and direct anterior total hip replacement. Our fellowship-trained hip preservation specialists are among the only surgeons in the region offering this innovative treatment option.

Research: Our Hip Preservation Division maintains a clinical outcomes database to capture pre-surgical, surgical and post-surgical data points so we can understand patient recovery and improve the future of patient care.

If you need mobility help

If you need home medical equipment, such as a walker or a wheelchair, it’s easy to obtain quickly through Ohio State Home Medical Equipment (OSHME), a joint venture between Ohio State Health Inc. and DASCO Home Medical Equipment. OSHME has staff and supplies on hand for patients of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. To learn more about available equipment, place an order or talk to an equipment specialist, visit godasco.com.

Our providers who treat hip sports injuries

More stories from Ohio State Sports Medicine

Helpful Links