Heel lifting as a conservative therapy for osteoarthritis of the hip: based on the rationale of Pauwels' intertrochanteric osteotomy.

Patients with osteoarthritis of the hip were treated with a conservative therapy of heel lifting. Orthoses were applied on 35 hips in 33 subjects and the cases were followed for 23 months on average. Dramatic pain relief was reported, but the time required to reduce or completely relieve pain increased according to the stage of osteoarthritis. The radiological results were not satisfactory. During the follow-up, only two hips showed improvement, 22 showed no change, and 11 deteriorated. The mechanism of heel lifting in relation to the hip joint was analysed, showing that pelvic obliquity was achieved and the trunk stabilized. In conclusion this simple orthosis was effective as a palliative therapy for osteoarthritis of the hip.