19 May Have you been told that growing up you needed “double nappies“ for your hips 

Have you been told that growing up you needed “double nappies“ for your hips 
Do you experiencing hip pain on and off over your early twenties and thirties 
Have you been told that your baby has “clicky hips” 

If you answered yes to the above statements, then it’s likely that you had Developmental Dysplasia of the Hips (DDH) as a baby  and so does your baby.

Hip dysplasia refers to the general instability or “looseness” of the hip joint. The exact cause(s) are not known. However it is widely believed that hip dysplasia is developmental. This is because hip dysplasia is known to develop around the time of birth, after birth, or even during childhood. This is also why hip dysplasia is often referred to as developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).

Hip dysplasia has a wide range of severity. In some children the ligaments around the hip joint are loose allowing the head of the thigh bone to slide around in the socket of the pelvic bone, making it a subluxable hip. Other times the head of the thigh bone pops in and out of the socket of the pelvic bone, making it a dislocatable hip joint. At other times, the head of the thigh bone is sitting outside of the socket of the pelvic bone, making it a dislocated hip joint.

It is currently believed that infants are prone to hip dysplasia for the following reasons:

Hip dysplasia is approximately 12 times more likely when there is a family history. Genetics plays a role, but is not a direct cause of hip dysplasia.

If a child has DDH, the risk of another child having it is 6% ( 1 in 17 )
If a parent has DDH, the risk of a child having it is 12% ( 1 in 8 )
If a parent and a child have DDH, the risk of a subsequent child having DDH is 36% ( 1 in 3 ).

The good news is DDH can be effectively corrected with early intervention, using a Palvik Harness. This is the Gold Standard for the treatment of DDH. The sooner a Palvik Harness is fitted, the better the outcomes for DDH.

If you are concerned about your baby’s hips, ring My Favourite Physio on (02) 9790 4233 to speak to one of our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists today! Find out how we can help your baby achieve good hip health for life!