Question
My child doesn’t walk very steadily and always limps, which worries me a lot. A friend said it resembles congenital hip dislocation, as her colleague’s child had the same issue.
Answer
Congenital hip dislocation, also known as developmental hip dislocation or developmental dysplasia of the hip, is a common congenital malformation. The femoral head and the joint capsule within the hip socket lose their normal relationship, preventing normal development before and after birth. The affected limb is bent, has poor movement, and lacks sufficient push-off strength; abduction of the hip joint is limited, with the femoral head on the affected side shifting backward and upward, resulting in shortening of the lower limb. There is an asymmetry in the creases on the inner side of the thigh and hip joint. The skin creases on the affected side are deeper than those on the healthy side, and there are more creases on the affected side.