For the prevention of coxarthrosis (hip osteoarthritis), a clinical examination and hip ultrasonography (ultrasound examination of the hip; according to Graf) should be performed in all infants as part of the U3 early childhood screening examination (4th-6th week of life) to exclude congenital (congenital) hip dysplasia or dislocation.
Furthermore, attention must be paid to reducing individual risk factors.
Behavioral risk factors
- Consumption of stimulants
- Alcohol – ≥ 20 glasses of beer/week lead to a significant increase in coxarthrosis and gonarthrosis (knee osteoarthritis); individuals who drank 4 to 6 glasses of wine per week had a lower risk of gonarthrosis
- Physical activity
- Underloading of the cartilage:
- Lack of physical activity – since cartilage gets its micronutrients from the synovial fluid, it relies on the joint being moved for cartilage growth
- Nutritive damage (eg, long rest in a cast).
- Overloading of the cartilage:
- Competitive and high-performance sports
- Long-term heavy physical stress, e.g., at work (construction workers, especially floor layers); esp. lifting and carrying heavy loads for long periods of time (2-2.5 times the risk)
- Underloading of the cartilage:
- Overweight (BMI ≥ 25; obesity) – leads to overuse of the joints.
* Sports are only healthy as long as joints are not damaged in the process or have no pre-existing conditions.
