Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooTransient Osteoporosis of the Hip

Transient osteoporosis of the hip is a rare condition that causes temporary loss of bone in the upper part of the thighbone (AAOS, n.d.; Puma Pagliarello et al., 2025). People with this condition experience a sudden onset of pain that gets worse with walking or other weight-bearing activities. In many cases the pain increases over time and may become disabling.

It most often affects men aged 30 to 60, and women in the last 3 months of pregnancy or who have recently given birth (AAOS, n.d.).

Painful symptoms gradually ease and usually go away within 6 to 12 months, and bone strength in the hip returns to normal in most people (AAOS, n.d.). Despite the name, it is very different from age-related osteoporosis, which is a painless, progressive condition that weakens bones throughout the body and raises the long-term risk of fractures. In transient osteoporosis, the hip bone is at greater risk of breaking only while it is weakened (AAOS, n.d.). In a small number of people it comes back later, in the same or the other hip.

Transient Osteoporosis of the Hip Anatomy

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint. The socket (acetabulum) is part of the pelvis, and the ball is the femoral head, the upper end of the thighbone (femur). In transient osteoporosis, the femoral head weakens and loses density (AAOS, n.d.).

Tests you may want to discuss with your family doctor or nurse practitioner

• MRI scan: one of the most useful tests, as it usually shows bone marrow oedema (fluid and swelling in the bone marrow) (AAOS, n.d.).

How to Treat Transient Osteoporosis of the Hip

Tips

• There is no proven cause. Suggested causes include blockage of small blood vessels around the hip, hormonal changes and abnormal mechanical stresses on the bone (AAOS, n.d.).
• Although it occurs most often in the hip, it can also affect the knee, ankle and foot.
• While the bone is weak there is a greater chance of a fracture, so take care.

With transient osteoporosis of the hip, your doctor leads and decides how much weight the hip can take while the bone recovers. I work within those limits to ease the muscles working overtime, keep the hip moving and keep you strong. If the pain stops you managing your normal daily tasks, I'd like your doctor's okay before hands-on treatment.

Please bring any X-ray or scan reports and notes from your medical team to your first visit. They're an important part of planning safe treatment for you.

While the Bone Is Weak

• Gentle massage for the thigh, low back and other leg, and your arms and shoulders if you're on crutches
• No strong pressure, forceful stretching or joint work through the weakened hip
• Warm or cool applications in the clinic for sore, tight muscles
• Setting up a cane, crutches or walker and practising walking with them
• Gentle exercises within your doctor's limits

As It Recovers

1. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (n.d.) Transient osteoporosis of the hip. OrthoInfo. Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/transient-osteoporosis-of-the-hip/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
2. Puma Pagliarello, C. et al. (2025) 'Transient osteoporosis of the hip: clinical and radiological outcomes after combined pharmacologic and biophysical therapy', Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(21), 7879. doi: 10.3390/jcm14217879