Objectives Adults with developmental dysplasia of the hip face barriers in their everyday lives due to pain and physical limitations. In Denmark, many of these patients are ineligible for hip-preserving surgery because of overweight, hip osteoarthritis, age above 45 years, negative impingement test, or not wishing to undergo surgery. These patients are left with no evidence-based treatment option. Little attention has been devoted to investigate the patient perspective when ineligible for surgery. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of living with developmental dysplasia of the hip in adults ineligible for surgical treatment.Design and participants In this qualitative study, we used a phenomenological‐hermeneutic approach to explore the experiences of living with developmental dysplasia of the hip. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 purposefully selected patients with a median age of 37 (range 19-50) years. The patients were recruited from a population of 30 patients included in a larger feasibility study evaluating a six-month exercise and patient education intervention. We used a Ricoeur-inspired method to analyse and interpret the interview data.Results Three themes were identified. Firstly, developmental dysplasia of the hip is more than just a joint disease. Secondly, living with pain is difficult when pain has its own life. Thirdly, limitations imposed by hip problems challenges the perception of oneself as young, active, and independent. Identity, meaningfulness, control over pain, and coping with pain were areas of the patients’ lives that were influenced.Conclusion Living with developmental dysplasia of the hip had a considerable impact on the participants and their everyday life in several areas. Therefore, it may be relevant to approach patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip from a biopsychosocial point of view. However, further research is required to obtain a better understanding of the experiences of living with developmental dysplasia of the hip.