[Click! Health] "Sharp pain in the buttocks" could be a hip joint issue, not the lower back

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Jeon Mo (74), who has run a boarding house for a long time, is suffering from pain all over his body. Although he mainly experienced pain in his arms and shoulders due to extensive household chores, recently, lower body pain starting from the waist has made walking difficult, making daily life challenging. Despite undergoing spinal canal stenosis procedures at the strong recommendation of his children, the leg pain extending from the pelvis gradually worsened. After visiting several hospitals, he was eventually diagnosed with coxarthrosis and is currently receiving treatment.

The hip joint, also called the "eongdeong gwanjeol," connects the pelvis located in the hip to the thigh bone (femur) and is situated in the groin area on both sides. The hip joint supports the body weight descending from the spine to the pelvis and enables movements such as walking and running. When diseases occur here, pain arises in the pelvic and groin areas, causing a limping gait with a stooped posture.

Representative diseases occurring in the hip joint include dislocation, fractures, impingement syndrome, and avascular necrosis of the femoral head, but degenerative coxarthrosis, where cartilage wears down and inflammation occurs in the tissues around the joint with age, is the most common. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, as of 2021, there were about 89,000 patients with coxarthrosis, with women (about 54,000) significantly outnumbering men (about 35,000). By age group, those aged 60 and above accounted for 59.4%, and those in their 50s made up 21%.

The hip joint is located deep inside the body, which can cause symptoms to be overlooked or worsen. In the early stages, overexertion from walking or exercise causes mild pain around the groin, which improves after resting, often mistaken for muscle pain and thus neglected. Symptoms include numbness in the lower body and stabbing pain in the hip area, with stiffness and pulling sensations in the lower back when sitting down or standing up, which can be confused with symptoms of a herniated disc or spinal canal stenosis. Neglecting these symptoms can worsen the condition. Orthopedic specialist Yoon Hyung-jo from H Plus Yangji Hospital said, "Since the lower back contains many nerves extending to the legs, spinal diseases affecting these nerves can cause lower body pain similar to hip joint diseases," adding, "Elderly patients with various degenerative diseases need to be cautious."

Degenerative coxarthrosis can be alleviated in its early stages through conservative treatments such as medication and physical therapy. However, if pain remains severe and daily life becomes difficult despite conservative treatment, or if structural deformities of the hip joint occur, surgical treatment involving artificial joint replacement is necessary. Total hip arthroplasty replaces the damaged part of the hip joint with an artificial implant to reduce pain and enable daily activities. It is performed when severe hip joint pain from conditions such as coxarthrosis, fractures, hip dysplasia, or congenital hip dislocation impairs function. Specialist Yoon explained, "Recently, ceramic surfaces for artificial hip joints have been developed, allowing semi-permanent use, and the probability of no problems in daily and work life for 10 years post-surgery exceeds 98%," adding, "In cases of severe avascular necrosis of the femoral head, the surgery is performed even in patients in their 30s and 40s."

To prevent hip joint diseases, weight management is important. Increased body weight raises pressure on the hip joint and accelerates joint damage due to various inflammatory diseases associated with obesity. It is better to use beds or chairs rather than sitting on the floor, and a high-protein diet along with appropriate exercise to strengthen muscles around the joint is necessary.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.