A Ceramic head is a smooth, hard ball-shaped implant used in hip replacement surgery. It replaces the natural “ball” of the hip joint at the top of the thigh bone (femur). It is most commonly used in total hip arthroplasty (total hip replacement). It is chosen to help the artificial hip move smoothly against a liner inside the hip socket.

A Ceramic femoral head is the smooth, ball-shaped “head” part of a hip replacement implant made from a ceramic material. It replaces the natural femoral head at the top of the thigh bone (femur). It is most commonly used in total hip arthroplasty (total hip replacement) and some revision hip surgeries. Its main role is to articulate (move and glide) against a liner inside the artificial hip socket.

Center-edge angle is a measurement used to describe how much the hip socket covers the ball of the hip joint. It is most often calculated on hip and pelvis imaging, especially an anteroposterior (AP) pelvic X-ray. Clinicians use it to help evaluate hip shape, hip stability, and patterns linked with hip pain. It is commonly discussed in conditions such as hip dysplasia and femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).

Cephalomedullary nailing is a surgical method used to stabilize certain fractures of the upper thigh bone (femur). It uses a metal rod placed inside the femur’s central canal, plus a screw or blade that anchors into the femoral head. It is most commonly used for fractures around the hip, especially in the trochanteric region. The goal is to hold broken bone fragments in a stable alignment while healing occurs.

A Cephalomedullary nail is an internal metal rod used to stabilize certain fractures of the upper femur (thigh bone). It sits inside the bone’s central canal and is anchored with a screw or blade into the femoral head near the hip. In simple terms, it acts like an internal splint that supports the broken bone while it heals. It is commonly used for hip-region fractures such as intertrochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures.

Catching hip is a term people use to describe a hip that briefly “sticks,” “locks,” or feels like it momentarily cannot move smoothly. It can feel like a snag, a clunk, or a shift in the front of the hip, groin, buttock, or outer hip. The phrase is commonly used by patients, physical therapists, athletic trainers, and orthopedic clinicians when discussing mechanical hip symptoms. It is a symptom description, not a single diagnosis.

Cartilage thinning describes a loss of thickness in the smooth, shock-absorbing cartilage that covers the ends of bones inside a joint. It is commonly discussed in the hip, knee, and shoulder when people report joint pain, stiffness, or reduced motion. Clinicians use the term as a clinical finding on exam and imaging, not as a specific treatment. It often appears in conversations about osteoarthritis, hip impingement, and prior joint injury.

Cartilage mapping MRI is a specialized MRI approach that evaluates joint cartilage in more detail than standard MRI. It aims to detect early biochemical and microstructural cartilage changes, sometimes before clear “wear” is visible. It is commonly used in sports medicine and orthopedics for hips, knees, and other load-bearing joints. It can support decision-making in patients with pain, suspected early osteoarthritis, or after cartilage-related surgery.

A Cartilage lesion is an area of damaged joint cartilage. It most often refers to injury or wear of the smooth “articular cartilage” that covers the ends of bones. It is commonly discussed in the hip, knee, ankle, and shoulder in orthopedics and sports medicine. It can be found on imaging or during arthroscopy when evaluating joint pain or mechanical symptoms.

Cartilage delamination is a type of joint cartilage injury where a layer of cartilage separates from the tissue beneath it. It most often refers to separation at the boundary between cartilage and the underlying subchondral bone. Clinicians commonly use the term in hip, knee, and ankle evaluations, especially in sports medicine and arthroscopy. It is discussed as a diagnostic finding, not as a treatment or device.