Hip arthritis: Can hyaluronic acid injections help?

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of hip arthritis. A few small European studies suggest that injections with hyaluronic acid may benefit people with osteoarthritis of the hip. Hyaluronic acid is a substance that is similar to the lubricating material produced naturally in healthy joints.

Larger, more rigorous studies are needed to determine what, if any, role hyaluronic acid injections may play in the treatment of hip arthritis. In the United States, hyaluronic acid injections have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration only for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.