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(March 10, 2026) Severe hip pain and limited mobility can have a massive impact on everyday life. When conservative therapies no longer help, an artificial hip joint can enable a new quality of life.

When every step becomes a strain, even getting up in the morning takes effort, and everyday movements are only possible with pain, everyday life begins to feel increasingly limited. Nighttime pain or problems with everyday movements such as walking, standing, or putting on shoes are particularly stressful. 

• Quick check: Do I need hip surgery?

• When pain and limitations prevail

Pain at rest, often in the groin or thigh, is also considered a warning sign. If the pain and movement restrictions persist for more than three months and if conservative methods such as physical therapy no longer provide relief, hip surgery may become the next treatment option to consider.

Prof. Dr. Hagen Schmal, Medical Director of the Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg, emphasizes: "It is not only the X-ray image that is decisive, but also the individual suffering of the patient and the question of how severely their everyday life is restricted."

• When is surgery advisable?

Before surgery, conservative measures must be exhausted. These include physical therapy, pain medication, exercise therapy, and, if necessary, injections into the joint. Only when these treatments no longer provide sufficient relief and clear structural damage is evident does hip replacement become the focus.

Typical reasons for hip replacement are:

• Hip osteoarthritis (coxarthrosis) as the most common cause, in which the joint cartilage is severely worn
• Femoral head necrosis, caused by a circulatory disorder
• Congenital malformations such as hip dysplasia, when conservative therapies are not sufficient
• Bone fractures, especially femoral neck fractures

• Thorough diagnosis as a basis

Every decision begins with comprehensive diagnostics. Physicians use physical examinations and imaging to determine the extent of damage to the hip joint and which treatment options are realistic. "A hip replacement is not a quick fix, but the result of a joint decision-making process," explains Schmal.

• Individual decision instead of fixed dates

There is no fixed point in time at which hip surgery is "too early" or "too late." Indicators include a regular need for pain medication in everyday life and a walking distance of less than one kilometer. However, the decisive factors are personal symptoms, loss of quality of life, and expectations regarding mobility and freedom from pain. Specialized centers—such as the Medical Center – University of Freiburg or orthopedic centers in the region—also use modern, minimally invasive procedures.

Ultimately, if pain dominates, mobility is severely restricted, and conservative therapies have been exhausted, a new hip can be a sensible step back to a more active everyday life.

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