The Hip Joint

The hip joint is a ball and socket joint and consists of a ball and acetabulum(socket).
Articular cartilage is a smooth, glistening layer covered at the ends of the bone. Articular cartilage allows the bones to glide smoothly with less resistance than ice sliding on ice and can be seen on an x-ray as the space in between the ball and the socket.

The hip is by nature a very stable joint because of the large contact area between the femur and acetabulum and the geometry of the hip joint allows for a large range of motion. Labrum is called as the special cartilage surrounding the hip joint which contributes to stability.
 

The Hip

The Hip Joint

Arthritis of the Hip

Treatment of Hip Arthritis