Glossary

Hip glossary

Short, neutral definitions of common terms relating to hip pain, diagnosis and treatment. Intended as a reference, not as a substitute for a consultation.

Acetabulum

The hip socket: the cup-shaped part of the pelvis in which the femoral head rotates.

Adductors

Muscle group on the inside of the thigh that moves the leg towards the midline; often involved in groin pain.

Arthroscopy

Keyhole surgery through small incisions in which a camera is introduced into the joint; in the hip used for FAI, labral tears and loose bodies.

Avascular necrosis (AVN)

Death of bone in the femoral head due to disrupted blood supply; early diagnosis is crucial to preserve the joint.

Coxarthrosis

Medical term for hip osteoarthritis: wear of the cartilage in the hip joint.

EDA (Extended Direct Anterior)

Muscle-sparing anterior approach used by the European Hip Center to implant total hip prostheses; avoids cutting the gluteal muscles.

FAI (Femoroacetabular impingement)

Impingement between the femoral head and the hip socket due to an abnormal shape; causes groin pain on deep flexion, rotation or prolonged sitting.

Gluteus medius

Lateral gluteal muscle that stabilises the pelvis during walking; weakness causes a waddling gait (Trendelenburg).

HipCloud

Digital communication platform of the European Hip Center for explanations, exercises and follow-up around your care pathway.

Iliopsoas

Deep hip flexor muscle running from the lower back to the thigh; can click or cause pain, also after a hip replacement.

Labrum

Cartilaginous ring around the hip socket that stabilises and seals the joint; a tear causes clicking, catching and groin pain.

LCE angle

Radiological angle measuring how well the femoral head is covered by the hip socket; a low LCE angle indicates dysplasia.

One-Day-Hip

Protocol exclusively for total hip arthroplasty in which suitable patients go home on the day of surgery; eligibility is assessed individually.

PAO (Periacetabular osteotomy)

Joint-preserving procedure for hip dysplasia in which the hip socket is detached and reoriented to provide better coverage of the femoral head.

PLAC lesion

PLAC stands for Pyramidalis - Ligamentum anterior pubic - Adductor Longus Complex and is the muscle and tendon complex of the abdominal muscles, adductors and ligaments around the pubic bone.

Tendinopathy

Umbrella term for tendon pain due to overuse or degeneration; usually responds to adapted loading and targeted exercise therapy.

Total hip arthroplasty

Full replacement of the worn hip joint with a prosthesis; at the European Hip Center via the muscle-sparing EDA technique.

Trendelenburg

Waddling gait due to weakness or injury of the gluteus medius, in which the pelvis drops on the non-bearing side.

Greater trochanter

Bony prominence on the outside of the femur where gluteal muscles attach; often painful in gluteal tendinopathy.

Revision

Repair or replacement of a (partially) worn, loose or infected hip prosthesis; often only the defective component is replaced.