Does your scan show bone on bone?

‘Bone on bone’ is a common but inaccurate description of a hip or knee joint. We don't actually get bones rubbing on other bones. It is a term, albeit a poor one, to describe a loss of joint space which is a very common finding on radiography.

Do I need surgery?

Surgery is really only indicated if you have a loss of function that can’t be fixed with conservative management first.

Strengthening is still considered the first point of call for arthritic related conditions in the hips or knees. The stronger our muscles are the more support they give our joints and allow our joints to move with better quality and help reduce pain.

Will that change what my scan shows?

Your joint shape won’t change on your scan following strengthening however science has shown repeatedly that there is very little link between what is shown on a scan and pain.

Scans are useful if they are clinically relevant, but often what a scan shows doesn't match with how your joint is actually behaving.

Scientific words on reports can be scary, but if they are explained correctly most findings are perfectly normal and do not indicate you should necessarily be in pain.