M94.25: Chondromalacia Pelvic region and thigh

You have damaged cartilage in your pelvis or hip.

The pelvis is made up of different bones. There are 3 bones on each side which each merge to form one large pelvic bone. A joint connects these two large pelvic bones to the sacrum at the back of the body. The sacrum is part of the lower spine. The two pelvic bones plus the sacrum form a bony pelvic ring or girdle. In front, the two pelvic bones are tightly joined to one another by ligaments and cartilage fiber. The hip joints are outside, to the side of the pelvis. They connect the pelvis to the thighbones. The hip joints enable the legs to be moved in different directions.

The bones in a joint are covered with cartilage. When the joint is moved, the cartilage prevents the bones from rubbing against one another. The cartilage is normally strong and elastic, with a smooth surface.

When cartilage is damaged it can become unusually soft, for example. The cartilage in a joint may then become damaged, for example, if the joint is heavily loaded for a long time. When cartilage is damaged, the affected joint may be painful. The pain can get worse if a load is put on the joint.