diagnosis

Whilst symptoms of groin and thigh pain (sometimes radiating to the knee) may initially seem obscure to the patient their general practitioner will usually be able to make the diagnosis after a careful history and examination supplemented by an x-ray.

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An x-ray of the hip at an early stage of disease will show a subtle reduction of joint space.
X-ray of early osteoarthritis
Reduction of joint space and bony irregularity become more obvious as the disease progresses.
X-ray of moderate osteoarthritis
Eventually little joint space remains and bony change becomes more dramatic - on this x-ray the femoral head is no longer spherical.
X-ray of severe osteoarthritis
In extreme cases the hip joint can become almost unrecognisable. Whilst this 51-year-old man consulted with a view to hip resurfacing I had to tell him that his arthritis was far too advanced. I have since replaced both his hips.
X-ray of end-stage osteoarthritis