Adult-onset idiopathic chondrolysis of the hip

We report the case of a 23-year-old man diagnosed with adult-onset idiopathic chondrolysis of the hip. Chondrolysis of the hip is a disorder most frequently seen in children who have suffered with slipped capital femoral epiphyses. Idiopathic chondrolysis of the hip is extremely rare and to our knowledge, its onset has never been documented in adults aged over 20. With reference to the available medical literature, we summarise the current clinical management of this unusual but important cause of young adult hip pain.