Hip stability is important because it is associated with degenerative conditions of the hip and the knee.
The hip joint is a very stable ball and socket joint; it has a deep socket (acetabulum) that the femoral head (ball) sits in. The instability of the hip is more directed towards musculature, such as the infamous gluteus medius. The gluteus medius muscle is responsible for abduction motions (along with medial and lateral rotation), maintaining frontal plane stability of the pelvis, and an important muscle in walking, running and single leg weight bearing. Research shows that weak gluteus medius is more common in individuals with hip osteoarthritis and patellofemoral syndrome. A stronger gluteus medius muscle means less load through joint, which can slow the development of osteoarthritis.
Hip stability is associated with conditions such as hip osteoarthritis and patellofemoral pain syndrome. Hip osteoarthritis is caused when the cartilage in the hip wears away, causing the cartilage to become frayed and rough, and the protective joint space between the bones decreases. This leads to pain, stiffness, locking, and decreased range of motion in the hip. Hip instability and weakness of hip muscles can also provoke patellofemoral pain syndrome. Patellofemoral pain syndrome is a term for pain arising from the patellofemoral joint itself, or adjacent soft tissues.
In cases of hip osteoarthritis and with patellofemoral pain syndrome, the gluteus medius muscle (along with other hip muscles) is often deconditioned, wasted and weak. Since this muscle is very important in many weight-bearing activities, it helps to dissipate the load in the joint. The idea is to increase the strength of this muscle along with others, to reduce the load on the joint. This will be significant to rehab along with re-injury and potential degeneration.
