What should I do if the seal is already “squeaking”?
1️⃣Don’t delay in consulting a doctor.
Early diagnosis is important. Early treatment can slow down joint wear and delay major surgery for several years.
2️⃣ Help your hip
• Reduce the load. If you are overweight, start by reducing it. Losing 3 to 5 kg is enough to significantly relieve the joint.
• Move properly. Forget jumping, long-distance running, and weight training. Swimming, cycling, and light walking on flat trails are suitable.
• Strengthen your muscles. A physiotherapist will help you with exercises that stabilize the joint and relieve pain.
Relieving pain under medical supervision
Self-medication is harmful to the joints. The choice of analgesics and anti-inflammatories should be made by a specialist.
When should you consider prosthetics?
If the pain becomes chronic and does not subside even after rest, there comes a point where medication and exercise are no longer sufficient. Modern medicine offers a solution: arthroplasty.
The procedure involves replacing the worn joint with a prosthesis that replicates the shape and function of the natural joint. Most patients resume an active life and are pain-free for years.
True story: how I learned to listen to my hip
My name is Marina, I’m 42 years old. I developed osteoarthritis of the hip at 36. I initially attributed my pain to high heels and a sedentary job. Then, I started experiencing pain even just getting up from the sofa. I stopped going out with my child; every hundred meters, I had to sit down on a bench.
When I finally saw a doctor, the diagnosis was clear: almost total abrasion of the joint. “You should have come three years ago,” the orthopedist told me. The prosthesis saved me: today, at 42, I can climb stairs again without pain or shortness of breath, we hike in the mountains, and I don’t even know what painkillers are.
Myths and truths about hip osteoarthritis
Myth #1: “It’s an adult disease.”
False! More and more people under 40 are suffering from it.
Myth #2: “It’s better not to move to avoid wearing out the joint.”
On the contrary! Good movement nourishes the cartilage and improves its condition.
Myth #3: “Prosthetics are scary and dangerous.”
Modern surgeries are high-tech, minimally invasive, and safe. After their procedure, patients resume an active life.
A pain-free future: daily tips
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