Objective:

To compare hip joint position sense between individuals with early hip osteoarthritis and asymptomatic controls, and to examine the associations among proprioception, posturographic balance, and pressure pain sensitivity.

Approach:

• Study Design: A cross-sectional study involving 38 participants with early hip osteoarthritis and 38 age- and sex-matched controls.
• Assessment Methods: Hip proprioception was assessed using a digital inclinometer, postural stability was evaluated with force-platform posturography, and pressure pain thresholds were measured at local and remote sites.
• Statistical Analysis: Between-group differences were analyzed using independent-samples t tests, while associations were examined using Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses.

Key Findings:

• Participants with early hip osteoarthritis showed significantly higher hip repositioning error (5.51 ± 1.21° vs. 3.56 ± 0.92°, p < 0.001).
• Higher postural sway was observed in the osteoarthritis group (6.16 ± 1.51 vs. 4.64 ± 1.32 cm/s, p < 0.001).
• Lower local pressure pain thresholds were found in the osteoarthritis group (303.00 ± 68.00 vs. 415.00 ± 75.00 kPa, p < 0.001).
• Proprioceptive error was moderately associated with sway velocity (r = 0.56, p < 0.001) and inversely with local pain thresholds (r = −0.50, p = 0.001).
• Proprioceptive error and local pain sensitivity independently predicted balance performance.

Interpretation:

Limitations:

• The study's cross-sectional design limits causal inferences.
• Sample size may affect the generalizability of the findings.

Conclusion: