A painful hip can severely affect your ability to lead a full and active life. Over the last twenty five years, major advancements in hip replacement have improved the outcome of this very common surgery greatly.

The hip joint is one of the true ball and socket joints of the body. The hip socket is called the acetabulum and actually forms a deep cup that surrounds the ball of the upper thigh bone or femoral head. The hip is surrounded by the thick muscles of the buttock at the back and the thick muscles of the thigh in the front. The surface of the femoral head and the inside of the acetabulum are covered with articular cartilage. This material is about 1/4 of an inch thick in most large joints. The articular cartilage surface is a tough, very slick material that allows the surfaces to slide against one another without damage to either surface.