[citation needed] Heterotopic ossification of varying severity can be caused by surgery or trauma to the hips and legs.

About every third patient who has total hip arthroplasty (joint replacement) or a severe fracture of the long bones of the lower leg will develop heterotopic ossification, but is uncommonly symptomatic.

This may account for the clinical impression that traumatic brain injuries cause accelerated fracture healing.

[citation needed] The only definitive diagnostic test in the early acute stage is a bone scan, which will show heterotopic ossification 7 – 10 days earlier than an x-ray.

[3] When the initial presentation is swelling and increased temperature in a leg, the differential diagnosis includes thrombophlebitis.

Treatment volumes include the peri-articular region, and can be used for hip, knee, elbow, shoulder, jaw or in patients after spinal cord trauma.

Single dose radiation therapy is well tolerated and is cost effective, without an increase in bleeding, infection or wound healing disturbances.

Certain antiinflammatory agents, such as indomethacin, ibuprofen and aspirin, have shown some effect in preventing recurrence of heterotopic ossification after total hip replacement.