Orthopedics

Adolescent and Young Adult Hip Program

Hip replacement implants and surgical techniques have improved dramatically in recent years.

But if you’re a teenager or adult under the age of 50, you may have a better option: hip preservation. 

What is hip preservation?

Hip preservation encompasses many different treatments that aim to protect your natural hip rather than replace it. This can include non-surgical treatments and minimally-invasive surgeries. These procedures reduce pain and improve mobility while eliminating or delaying the need for hip replacement.

Why is preserving your hip important?

As a young adult, you probably look forward to climbing stairs at school without pain or returning to your sports team or job. Although today’s hip implants are very durable, they can exclude you from many high-impact activities. And because implants last about 15 years, the longer you keep your natural hip, the fewer replacement surgeries you’ll need over your lifetime.

Hip preservation as treatment

Our orthopaedic specialists focus on hip preservation to treat problems caused by congenital disorders (those you’re born with), work and sport injuries and other factors, such as excess body weight.

The most common hip conditions we treat are:

How we treat you depends on your particular goals and overall health, but typically we explore conservative, non-surgical treatment before we consider surgery.

Learn more about FAI, DDH, Perthes disease, slipped capital epiphysis, juvenile arthritis and other hip conditions from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Care throughout life

Another advantage of our program is that we draw from the advanced resources of both Tufts Medical Center and Tufts Medical Center, two of Boston’s finest medical centers in pediatric and adult care, respectively. This means a seamless transition in your treatment as you grow older, a major benefit if you have a chronic hip problem. Our entire team will get to know you and your medical history well, the most important factor in providing you with continuous, personalized care.