Beware! These four symptoms may indicate femoral head necrosis. Immediate medical attention is the key

Femoral head necrosis, also known in medical terms as avascular necrosis of the femoral head, is a disease in which the femoral head tissue necrosis due to insufficient blood supply.

The hip joint is composed of the acetabulum and the femoral head. It is a typical ball-and-socket joint that mainly supports and moves. Once the hip joint is necrotic, its function will be affected, causing pain and movement disorders. Early recognition of the early signs of femoral head necrosis is crucial to preventing the disease from worsening and protecting the function of the hip joint.

So, what are the symptoms of early femoral head necrosis? Today, experts from the Second Department of Orthopedics and Joints of Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine are here to talk to you.

1. Pain

In the early stages of femoral head necrosis, patients often experience continuous or intermittent pain in the mid-groin, outside of the hip, and the entire thigh all the way to the knee joint. The pain is not severe at this time, and the pain may be relieved by a short rest. As the duration gradually increases, some soreness and numbness may be felt.

2. Joint movement disorder

It may be difficult to separate the legs, squat, cross the legs, and lift the legs.

3. Fear of cold

Blood circulation disorder is the main cause of femoral head necrosis. Blood circulation disorder will cause less and less blood to circulate to the affected limb, and the blood flow rate will become slower and slower. You will obviously feel coldness and lack of strength in your legs.

4. Limping

In the early stage, it manifests as intermittent claudication, which is not very obvious and is a kind of pain-proof gait. However, as the disease progresses, the limb with femoral head necrosis will be unable to bear weight and cause claudication, or one side of the femoral head will collapse and cause leg length discrepancy, which will also cause claudication.

How to test yourself at home?

The figure-4 test is that the subject lies flat on his back with one leg straight, and lifts the other calf, places it on the knee of the straight leg, bends it and presses it down (that is, the two legs form a figure "4") to see if pain in the sacroiliac joint on the same side is induced. Normally, the knee of the folded side can easily touch the ground or bed.

Exercise Method

1. Standing leg lift

Hold onto something fixed with your hands, keep your body upright, and lift the affected leg so that your body is at right angles to your thigh, and your thigh is at right angles to your calf. Do this 30 times per set, for a total of 3 sets.

2. Internal rotation and abduction

Hold onto a fixed object with your hands, and do internal rotation, abduction, and circle movements for both legs, 20 times/set, for a total of 3 sets.

3. Aerial Bicycle

Lie on your back in bed with your arms on both sides of your body, and do bicycle movements, 30 times/set, for a total of 3 sets.

Source: Department of Orthopedics and Joints II, Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

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(Edited by YH)