Skip to main content

Hip Osteoarthritis. Pathogenesis

 

An original view on the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis of the hip joint.

Coxarthrosis is a disease that can develop either independently or against the background of other pathological conditions: congenital hip dislocation, Perthes' disease, aseptic necrosis of the femoral head, and some others. From our point of view, the basis of its pathogenesis, as a rule, is the pathology of ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). This may involve its complete or partial damage, changes in size, mechanical properties, and the localization of attachment areas.

The pathogenesis of coxarthrosis is a clear illustration of the Law of Bioinduction that we have established. LCF dysfunction results in disruption of normal hip mechanics. In the single-support period of the step and the single-support orthostatic position, it begins to function not as a lever of the second kind, but as a lever of the first kind. Accordingly, only the upper sectors of the femoral head and acetabulum are constantly loaded; the values of the actual average daily stresses in them significantly increase. The bioeffective stresses that arise in this case induce a complex of biological processes.

In the upper sector of the hip joint, the cartilage wears out and becomes thinner. Decentration of the femoral head and its cranial subluxation gradually develop. Microfractures of trabeculae are observed in the bone tissue. The majority of ongoing biological processes aim to neutralize bio-effective stresses. Osteophytes form on the periphery of the articular surfaces, which increases the area of their contact, and at the same time deformation of the articular ends of the bones occurs. The first and second reduce the intensity of internal forces in the bone elements. As the acetabular canal has lost its functional role, the acetabular fossa is eliminated, and the facies lunata expands.

In the subchondral layer of the femoral head, a layer of compact bone tissue appears and gradually thickens, reducing local stresses in the underlying spongy substance. There is a reorientation of the trabecular systems of the proximal end of the femur. The first system of bone trabeculae is strengthened, the second system is eliminated. Bone cysts appear and enlarge as one of the ways to eliminate stresses concentrations inside the bone at the ends of microcracks. The presence of bioeffective stresses is also reflected in soft tissues: fibrosis is observed in tendons, joint capsules and muscles, and in the areas of their attachment there are foci of heterotopic ossification.

There is a shortening of the femoral neck and an increase in the femoral neck-diaphyseal angle. The size and shape of the entire proximal femur changes, and the depth of the acetabulum increases. To a large extent, the listed phenomena are compensatory processes. In some cases, they change the actual average daily stresses, and in others, the optimal average daily stresses; the meaning of both is to level out the existing bioeffective stresses.

The mechanics of a hip joint affected by arthrosis is the mechanics of a hip joint that is devoid of LCF. In this case, the kinematics of locomotion changes significantly and their energy intensity increases. Bioeffective stresses appear not only in the hip joint area, but also in all adjacent elements of the musculoskeletal system, which leads to their pathological changes. With a reduced adaptive potential of tissues and significant violations of the mechanics of the lower limb girdle, bioeffective stresses remain uncompensated. This gradually leads to complete destruction of the hip joint, as well as gross changes in the anatomical elements of adjacent kinematic chains.

Keywords: ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, abductor muscle group, hip joint, biomechanics, osteoarthritis, pathogenesis

.                                                                     

In translating to English, the author is assisted by ChatGPT (version 3.5) and the Google Translate service.

If you notice an error, please let us know!

The first version of the text in:

Архипов-Балтийский СВ. Рассуждение о морфомеханике. Норма. В 2 т. Т. 2. Гл. 5-6. испр. и доп. изд. Калининград, 2004. (Archipov-Baltic SV. Reasoning about Morphomechanics. The norm – Kaliningrad, 2004. [Rus]) [aleph.rsl.ru

BLOG CONTENT

ETIOLOGY AND PATHOGENESIS

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

1836-1840PartridgeR

  «Prof. Partridge in his lectures on anatomy at King's College was accustomed to compare the Ligamentum Teres, in its function, to the leathern straps by which the body of a carriage is suspended on springs » ( 1874SavoryWS ). Perhaps Nikolai Pirogov listened to these lectures ( 1859PirogoffN ).   The analogy that Richard Partridge used could have arisen after reading the monograph Bell J. The Principles of Surgery (1801) . In it, the author depicted a cart and a pelvis resting on the head of one and two femurs. However, there is no mention of ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in the chart descriptions. References Savory WS. On the use of the ligamentum teres of the hip joint. J Anat Physiol. 1874;8(2)291-6.    [ ncbi.nlm.nih.gov  ,    archive.org ] Pirogoff N. Anatome topographica sectionibus per corpus humanum congelatum triplici directione ductus illustrate. Petropoli: Typis Jacobi Trey, 1859.   [ books.google  ,   archive.org ] ...

LCF in 2025 (November)

  LCF in 2025 ( November )   (Quotes from articles and books published in  October  2025 mentioning the ligamentum capitis femoris)   Awad, A., Rizk, A., ElAlfy, M., Hamed, M., Abdelghany, A. M., Mosbah, E., ... & Karrouf, G. (2025). Synergistic Effects of Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles and Platelet Rich Fibrin on Femoral Head Avascular Necrosis Repair in a Rat Model.  Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials ,  113 (11), e35672.    [i]    onlinelibrary.wiley.com   Loughzail, M. R., Aguenaou, O., Fekhaoui, M. R., Mekkaoui, J., Bassir, R. A., Boufettal, M., ... & Lamrani, M. O. (2025). Posterior Fracture–Dislocation of the Femoral Head: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.  Sch J Med Case Rep ,  10 , 2483-2486.     [ii]    saspublishers.com  ,  saspublishers.com   Vertesich, K., Noebauer-Huhmann, I. M., Schreiner, M., Schneider, E., Willegger,...

1853KnoxR

  We publish selected quotations about ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) from Knox  R.  Manual of Human Anatomy (1853). The author points out that LCF is a thick and dense bundle of fibers. It is attached to the edges of the acetabular notch and intertwined with the fibers of the fibrocartilaginous ring of the acetabulum. Robert Knox writes: « The functions of the round ligament have not been satisfactorily determined.» Quote p. 142 Fig. 104. - This instructive section of the hip-joint requires little or no explanation. - d points to the superior part of the capsular ligament. Fig. 105. - Capsular ligament of the hip-joint; also Poupart's ligament. - a , the capsular ligament; b , the oblique, or accessory ligament of the joint; d , attachment of the external pillar of Poupart's ligament to the tubercle of the pubis; e , deep structures immediately behind that portion of Poupart's ligament, called the ligament of Gimbernat; c , ligamentum obturatorium.   Quo...

BIOMECHANICS OF THE HIP JOINT WITHOUT LCF

  Biomechanics of the hip joint without LCF Do you remember the comparison of the ligamentum teres with the spring element of a cart? ( 1874SavoryWS ). An analogy could arise after reading the book Bell J. The Principles of Surgery (1801) . Most orthopedists still think so. For more details see: https://roundligament.blogspot.com/2024/04/1836-1840partridger.html   &  1836-1840PartridgeR   (remembering the history of orthopedics) #ligamentum_teres   #ligamentum_capitis_femoris   #hip   #biomechanics    Publication in the facebook group 03/28/2025.                                                                                                                   ...

INFERIOR PORTAL FOR HIP ARTHROSCOPY

  Combined PDF version of the article: Arkhipov SV. Arkhipov SV. Inferior Portal for Hip A rthroscopy: A Pilot Experimental Study. This page contains a photocopy of the publication. The links for downloading the PDF version and the addresses of the online versions are given below.  The original in Russian is available at the link: Нижний портал для артроскопии тазобедренного сустава . 

1679ChartierR

  Fragment from the book Chartier R. (Ed). Operum Hippocratis Coi et Galeni Pergameni archiatron tomus XII (1679). Part of the treatise «Instruments of Reductions» (Mochlicus, Vectiarius) by Hippocrates in Latin and Greek with the mention of ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). The text is prepared for machine translation using a service built into the blog from Google or your web browser. For a translation of the passage into English, see the link: 1886AdamsF . Quote pp. 536-537. HIPPOCRATIS. MOCHLICUS, SEV VECTIARIUS. Caput I.  Ossa hunc in modum a natura sunt coparata. Digitorum quidem, tum ossiu, tum articulorum, simplex est junctura. In manu vero & pede, cum multa alia varie connectuntur, tu maxima sunt quae supremo loco committuntur. Calcis unum os est, quale foras prominet, quo etiam a posteriore parte tedines tendunt. Tibiae duo ossa sunt supra & infra coherentia, medio vero loco distantia. Quod exterius tendit, parvum & juxta parvum digitum paulo tenuius. Plu...

11th-15th Century

   11th-15th Century Catalog of archived publications of the specified period        11th century 976-1115Theophilus Protospatharius  The author writes about the  normal anatomy of the LCF and its connective function. 1012-1024Avicenna   The author writes about the localization and  variant of the pathology LCF, leading to hip dislocation. 1039-1065Giorgi Mtatsmindeli   The translator mentions the LCF damage, and notes its presence in animals. 12 th century 1120-1140Judah Halevi   The author mentions LCF (גיד) of mammals. 1176-1178(a)Rambam  The author mentions the pathology of LCF (גיד) in humans and points out the presence of this structure in animals. 1176-1178(b)Rambam  The author writes about the localization of LCF (גיד) ) and distinguishes it from a tendon,   blood vessel or nerve. 1185-1235David Kimchi  The author writes about the localization, purpose, and injury of the LCF (גיד), and also talks abo...

1802CamperP

    Content [i]   Annotation [ii]   Original text (French ) [iii]   Illustrations [iv]   Source  &  links [v]   Notes [vi]   Authors & Affiliations [vii]   Keywords [i]   Annotation Fragments from the book: Camper P. Description anatomique d'un éléphant mâle (1802). The author discusses the absence and unknown role of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in the elephant and some monkeys. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 1802CamperP . [ii]   Original text (French) Original text Quote p. 70. Le fémur ne tient pas dans la cavité cotyloïde par le moyen d’un ligament rond, comme celui de l’homme ; les enfoncemens n’en sont visibles dans la tête d’aucune des espèces que nous avons examinées. Peut-être ce ligament est-il particulièrement nécessaire à l’homme dans la position verticale du corps ? du moins l’orang-outang, le pongo et d’autres mammifères quadrumanes n’en ont pas d’analogue.   Quot...

LCF in 2025 (June)

  LCF in 2025 ( June )   (Quotes from articles and books published in June 2025 mentioning the ligamentum capitis femoris)   Kuhns, B. D., Kahana-Rojkind, A. H., Quesada-Jimenez, R., McCarroll, T. R., Kingham, Y. E., Strok, M. J., ... & Domb, B. G. (2025). Evaluating a semiquantitative magnetic resonance imaging-based scoring system to predict hip preservation or arthroplasty in patients with an intact preoperative joint space.  Journal of Hip Preservation Surgery , hnaf027.    [i]     academic.oup.com   Iglesias, C.  J. B., García, B. E. C., & Valarezo, J. P. P. (2025) CONTROLLED GANZ DISLOCATION.   EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) - Peer Reviewed Journal. 11(5)1410-13. DOI: 10.36713/epra2013    [ii]       researchgate.net   Guimarães, J. B., Arruda, P. H., Cerezal, L., Ratti, M. A., Cruz, I. A., Morimoto, L. R., ... & Ormond Filho, A. G. (2025). Hip Microins...

ONLINE JOURNAL

  ONLINE JOURNAL (section for depositing issues of the jour nal  «About Round Ligament of  Femur» )  Online Journal «ABOUT ROUND LIGAMENT OF FEMUR», November 2025 Online Journal «ABOUT ROUND LIGAMENT OF FEMUR», October 2025 Online Journal «ABOUT ROUND LIGAMENT OF FEMUR», September 2025 Online Journal «ABOUT ROUND LIGAMENT OF FEMUR», August 2025 Online Journal  «ABOUT ROUND LIGAMENT OF FEMUR», July 2025 Online Journal «ABOUT ROUND LIGAMENT OF FEMUR», June 2025 Online Journal «ABOUT ROUND LIGAMENT OF FEMUR», May 2025   Online Journal  «ABOUT ROUND LIGAMENT OF FEMUR», April 2025 Online Journal  «ABOUT ROUND LIGAMENT OF FEMUR», March 2025.   Second issue.  Online Journal  «ABOUT ROUND LIGAMENT OF FEMUR», February 2025.   First issue.  BLOG CONTENT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ONLINE JOURNAL                                        ...