Hip dysplasia is the medical term for an immature hip joint in which the hip socket doesn't cover the femoral head (ball) properly. A cam deformity is a bone formation between the femoral head and the femoral neck that can cause hip pain and restrict hip mobility (also known as femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)). Both hip dysplasia and FAI are believed to increase the risk of osteoarthritis, our most common joint disease. However, the link between the conditions and osteoarthritis remains unclear. Interestingly, both hip dysplasia and cam deformity often develop during childhood. Dysplasia can already develop in newborns and cam deformity is a common consequence of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), the most common hip disease in adolescents. My research aims to improve the treatment of dysplasia and SCFE in children, but also to study the long-term consequences of dysplasia and cam deformity in adults.

What sparked your interest in research?

My interest in research arose for the first time whilst I was writing my thesis. A classmate and I had to carry out a scientific study from start to finish, which was both exciting and inspiring. That's when I decided that I one day would like to go into research and eventually write a doctoral dissertation. In recent years, my inspiration for new research projects has for the most part stemmed from my clinical work. I am a chief physician in pediatric orthopedics and have for many years been especially interested in advanced procedures on the hip joint, which includes the surgical treatment of both hip dysplasia and FAI.

Tell us about one of your ongoing research projects.

One of my doctoral students is investigating the connection between cam deformity in adults and the risk of developing hip pain and hip osteoarthritis within 10 years. To help us we have a Dutch cohort with over 1000 individuals that have been followed over time. The cohort includes a large number of clinical parameters and hip X-rays at 0, 5, and 10 years. Using the same cohort, we will investigate the association between hip dysplasia and future hip pain and radiological osteoarthritis.

What breakthroughs do you hope for within your research area?

Ultimately, I hope to be able to help reduce the number of hip problems in both children and adults. This will be done through improved treatment of children and adolescents with hip dysplasia and SCFE. A second goal is to be able to identify adults at risk of hip pain and osteoarthritis whilst we are still able to offer gentle and effective treatments, regardless of them being surgical or non-surgical.

What do you consider to be the most significant contribution you have made to your research area?

I believe that my main strength is putting my clinical research into practice.  Our research results on SCFE for example, have led to the Swedish standard method for treating SCFE, being introduced in the USA. I have also contributed to the development of a national treatment program for children with SCFE, which is partly based on my own research. This treatment program has been available since 2019 on the Swedish Pediatric Orthopedic Association's website.

Read more about Carl Johan's research in Lund University's research portal