Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common cause of hip pain in adults. The natural history is still not completely understood, and many different factors seem to contribute to its onset. Patients with hip pain often do not have radiographic evidence of hip OA, while many people who do have radiographic evidence of hip OA do not have hip pain. Clinicians should use diagnostic criteria to classify adults over age 50 years within the Coxarthrosis category of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) and the associated Hip Pain and Mobility deficits category of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). It is good to consider diagnostic categories other than arthritic joint pain when the patient’s history, the reported activity limitations, or the impairments of body function and structure are not consistent.
Psychological factors seem also to play a large contributing role to chronic pain and disability. Hence, it can be a good idea to assess the impact of pain on the patient’s life in that this may represent a broader concept than OA-related pain and function, one that is more representative of the biopsychosocial model.