Recognition of signs and symptoms of a Type 1 chondrosarcoma: a case report

Hip pain in the absence of trauma is difficult to diagnose due to the number of structures that refer pain to the hip and thigh. When identifying the origin of pain, the ability to increase or decrease the patient's pain level with rest, posture or movement is important to determine a clinical pattern. If that pattern does not make sense, other causes of the onset of pain need to be considered.

A 47-year-old male experienced intermittent hip pain for two years that varied in intensity and duration after weight-bearing activities. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with a low grade chondrosarcoma (type 1) of the right proximal femur.

This case highlights the medical management of a patient eventually diagnosed with a chondrosarcoma and the post-surgical physical therapy management. It also describes the multidisciplinary care of the patient from onset of hip pain to discharge from physical therapy and illustrates the importance of recognizing atypical signs and symptoms to facilitate referral and accurate diagnosis.