Hip pain in children and teens can be common, developing from an overuse injury, infection or a problem that was present from birth (congenital). Sometimes conditions of the hip can result in knee or thigh pain, particularly in kids and teens who are still growing. That’s why it is important to know when you should take your child to a doctor to have their hip checked out.

Our Orthopedics Program is ranked among the best in the country for kids and teens, and is the only nationally ranked program for kids and teens in Georgia^*. When you bring your child to Children’s, they will be cared for by one of the country’s leading pediatric orthopedic teams. More parents trust Children's for their child's orthopedic surgery than any other pediatric hospital in the U.S.^**.

When should your child or teen see a pediatric orthopedic specialist for hip pain?

At Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, we recommend contacting a pediatric orthopedist about your child or teen’s hip problems if:

• The pain continues to develop and doesn’t go away with at-home treatments.
• You see signs of infection.
• Your child or teen doesn’t want to bear weight on the side of the hip injury.
• Symptoms become more severe and more frequent.
• Soreness after a workout lasts more than a few days.

Common hip and pelvis conditions in kids are often caused by irritation in the ball and socket joint of the hip. As one of the body's largest joints, the hip absorbs a lot of stress during daily activities like walking, running or jumping. As kids grow, it's possible that this stress causes problems or that the cartilage that cushions the joint can develop problems.

The pelvis, which is made up of the sacrum and coccyx (tailbone) of the spine, is also an important part of the hip. While pelvic injuries in children are rare, they can be serious, because the pelvis protects many organs, muscles and neurovascular structures.

Hip conditions in kids and teens are much different than hip conditions in adults. Additionally, when hip conditions in kids and teens are left untreated, it can lead to pain or issues walking and sitting as an adult. That's why it's important to seek a pediatric orthopedic specialist for your child's care who can address these issues with your child's age and lifestyle in mind.

Whether it's hip dysplasia in infants or hip pain in teen athletes, our orthopedic specialists are specifically trained in recognizing and treating hip conditions in growing kids, including:

• Apophysitis (pelvic apophyseal injuries)
• Apophyseal avulsion fracture
• Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH)
• Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)
• Femoral neck stress fracture
• Groin muscle (adductor) strain
• Hip fractures
• Hip pain
• Legg-Calve-Perthes disease
• Pelvic avulsion injuries
• Pelvic ring fractures
• Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE)
• Snapping hip syndrome
• Sports hernia (athletic pubalgia)

Your child or teen’s treatment will depend on the type of injury and how it is affecting them. Our team uses advanced techniques and cutting-edge diagnosis research to care for children and teens with hip conditions. We tailor our approach for each patient and will work with you to create a treatment plan just for your child.

Evaluations and diagnostic tests for children’s hip conditions and injuries may include:

• Arthrograms
• Blood tests
• Bone scans
• Complete medical history and physical examination performed by a doctor
• CT scans
• MRIs
• Ultrasounds
• X-rays

Management and treatments for hip issues may include:

• Medications
• Casting or bracing (orthotics)
• Pain management
• Physical therapy
• Rest (reduced activity, crutches, wheelchair or traction)
• Sports medicine
• Surgery, including hip arthroscopy, periacetabular osteotomies, or other minimally invasive surgical techniques

We know that you want to bring your child to the best pediatric hip doctors possible. The orthopedic specialists at Children’s are trained in recognizing and treating pediatric hip conditions and working with children to help them recover more quickly. We work with patients and their families to set and reach goals together. Our Hip Program is led by Tim Schrader, MD, who serves as the Medical Director of our Hip Program and Surgical Director of Scottish Rite Hospital.

Orthopedic surgeons

• Jed Axelrod, MD
• Robert W. Bruce Jr., MD
• Michael T. Busch, MD
• Dennis P. Devito, MD
• Jorge A. Fabregas, MD
• Jill C. Flanagan, MD
• Nicholas D. Fletcher, MD
• Denver Kraft, MD
• Dell McLaughlin, MD
• Joshua Murphy, MD
• Dana Olszewski, MD, MPH
• Crystal Perkins, MD
• Michael L. Schmitz, MD
• Tim Schrader, MD
• S. Clifton Willimon, MD

Orthopedists

• Saji Azerf, MD
• Robert J. Montero, MD
• Jarod Stevenson, DO