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Congenital Dislocation and Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip
Background
The hip is a 'ball and socket' joint. The top of the thigh bone (femur) is shaped like a ball and fits into a matching cup (acetabulum) on the outer side of the pelvis. Various problems can affect the baby's hip as it develops. Sometimes the ball does not lie safely in the socket and is displaced from it: this is what is meant by dislocation. Sometimes, although the ball is in the socket it can slip in and out of place. This is what is meant by the hip being dislocatable. Sometimes although the hip is in the socket it is not deeply in place and we call this hip 'subluxated.' Finally in some children although the hip is in the right place the socket does not grow properly and is too shallow. If the hip socket is shallow this may allow the ball to move from the position it should occupy.
1 to 2 in 1,000 babies born may have a hip that is dislocated at birth. A slightly larger group of children have hips which are not safely in the socket or in whom the socket is shallower than it should be. In general girls are more likely to be affected that boys. The left hip is more often affected than the right.
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