Hip Cartilage Repair

Hip cartilage is a white, tough, flexible tissue covering the ball (femoral head) and socket (acetabulum) of your hip joint. It acts as a cushion or shock-absorber and allows the bones to slide over one another by providing a smooth surface in the joint.

Hip cartilage repair is the process of restoring damaged cartilage in the hip joint, either surgically or non-surgically.

Causes of Hip Cartilage Damage

There are several ways your hip cartilage can be damaged. Major contributors include:

• Forceful motions during sports or other physical activities
• Sudden injury to the hip joint or dislocation
• Wear and tear of the cartilage over time (chronic)
• Structural abnormality of the acetabulum or femoral head
• Hip labral tear caused by injury or structural problems
• Medical condition such as femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)

Symptoms

Hip cartilage damage can lead to the following:

• Pain in the hip or groin area at rest and when inflamed
• Pain that worsens during physical activities or when you put weight on the joint
• Reduced range of motion of the hip joint or stiffness in this area
• A sense of clicking, grinding, catching, locking or giving-way in the joint

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of hip cartilage damage typically requires:

• A physical examination, usually involving you moving your legs or walking around
• Imaging tests such as an X-ray, MRI scan and/or arthroscopy

Significance of Hip Cartilage Repair

Once the hip cartilage is damaged, it becomes frayed and rough, and the protective joint space between the bones decreases. This leads to:

• Lack of good blood supply to the cartilage
• Painful bone-on-bone rubbing

Therefore, the cartilage cannot heal on its own and needs to be repaired.

If not restored, it may lead you to develop osteoarthritis, which is the degeneration of cartilage and underlying bone.

Hip Cartilage Repair

Minor cartilage injuries can sometimes improve on their own within a few days. However, the doctor’s intervention is required in other cases.

If the symptoms are mild, the cartilage can often be restored with adequate rest. Other possible non-surgical options include:

• Medications:
  1. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  2. corticosteroid injections into the hip joint
• Physical therapy:
  1. Exercises to improve the hip’s range of motion and strengthen the muscles around the hip joint
• Modifications in activities:
  1. Changing habitual movements that put stress on the hip

Severe cartilage damage may eventually require surgery, which is usually performed arthroscopically under anesthesia.

This is a minimally invasive surgery during which your doctor:

• Makes small incisions (cuts) in the skin covering the hip joint
• Inserts a fiber-optic camera and surgical tools into the hip joint
• Carries out any of the following repairs depending on the need
  1. Refixation: The torn tissue is sutured back together.
  2. Debridement: The damaged portion is cleared out.
  3. Reconstruction: The damaged tissue is replaced with healthy cartilage.
• After the repair, the incisions are closed, and a dressing is applied.

If the damage is very severe, the doctor may order an additional or advanced procedure.

Recovery

After the surgery, it may take you about 3 months to resume normal activities and several more to return to strenuous activities.

Complications of Repair

Hip cartilage repair can lead to:

• Nerve injury or blood vessel injury
• Infection and persistent pain in the hip

Why Choose Dr. J. Pieter Hommen at OrthoMiami for Your Hip Arthroscopy?

Dr. J. Pieter Hommen is a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon with advanced expertise in minimally invasive hip preservation and hip arthroscopy with over 20 years of hip arthroscopy experience. His approach is centered on precision, careful patient selection, and restoring long-term hip function—not simply operating for the sake of surgery.

Dr. Hommen treats the full spectrum of intra-articular and peri-articular hip conditions using modern arthroscopic techniques, including femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), labral tears, tendon injuries, and complex sources of deep gluteal and sciatic pain. His experience extends beyond the hip joint itself to surrounding structures such as the gluteal tendons, proximal hamstring origin, piriformis tendon, and peritrochanteric space—areas that are frequently overlooked but often responsible for persistent symptoms.

A key distinction of Dr. Hommen’s philosophy is his commitment to hip preservation. Whenever possible, he emphasizes non-operative treatment and structured rehabilitation. Surgery is recommended only when it is clearly indicated and likely to improve function and quality of life. When arthroscopy is performed, it is done with meticulous attention to anatomic detail to minimize tissue disruption and optimize recovery.

Patients choose Dr. Hommen for his:

• Fellowship training and specialized focus on hip arthroscopy
• Expertise in both joint and extra-articular hip pathology
• Thoughtful, evidence-based decision-making
• Minimally invasive, tissue-sparing surgical techniques
• Clear communication and individualized care plans

Whether treating athletes, active adults, or patients with complex hip pain, Dr. Hommen’s goal is consistent: to relieve pain, restore strength and mobility, and help patients safely return to the activities they enjoy.