Joint Distension Arthrography for Disabling Hip Pain: A Controlled Clinical Trial

Thirty-eight patients (age 27–73 years) with unilateral hip pain, restricted movement of the hip joint and radiologically no or only slight osteoarthrosis were studied in a double-blind controlled clinical trial. Twenty-one patients received active treatment with hip joint distension arthrography and 17 received placebo treatment. All patients were assessed clinically on entry, the day after and 3 months after treatment. The incidences of subjective improvement were similar in the two groups. Apart from a slight deterioration in the treated group of hip flexion, abduction and lateral rotation at the one-day assessment, neither group showed any change in the registered movements of the hip joint compared with the assessment on entry. The measured intermalleolar distance at maximal straightleg abduction was the sole variable which tended to increase (p=0.05) 3 months after active treatment. Thus, the therapeutic effect of a single treatment with joint distension seems to be dubious.