Definition
A hip labral tear is an injury to the soft tissue (labrum) around the socket of the hip joint.
Hip Joint and Cartilage |
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Causes
Causes may be:
- Health problems that cause the hip joint to wear down, such as osteoarthritis
- Trauma from things like a motor vehicle accident or a fall onto the hip
- Repetitive movements in sports, such as golf
Risk Factors
This problem is more common in older adults. Other things that may raise the risk are:
- Osteoarthritis
- Bending forward, running, jumping, or twisting from activities such as:
- Skiing
- Cycling
- Horseback riding
- Golf
- Softball
- Health problems of the hip, such as femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAI) or hip dysplasia
Symptoms
Problems may be:
- Hip pain
- Groin, buttock, or thigh pain
- Locking or clicking of the hip
- Hip instability
- Pain during activity
Diagnosis
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. You may be asked about the activities that you do and when the pain started. A physical exam will be done. It will focus on the hip.
Images of the hip may be taken. This can be done with:
Treatment
The goal of treatment is to ease symptoms to give the hip time to heal. Treatments may include:
- Limiting activities to let the hip rest
- Medicine to ease pain
- Physical therapy to help with strength, flexibility, and range of motion
- Wearing a brace to support the hip
Some people may need surgery. The torn labrum may be removed or sewn together.
RESOURCES
Arthroscopy Association of North America http://www.aana.org
OrthoInfo—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons http://orthoinfo.aaos.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Canadian Orthopaedic Association http://www.coa-aco.org
Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation http://www.canorth.org
References
Crockett M, Aherne E, et al. Groin Pain in Athletes: A Review of Diagnosis and Management. Surg Technol Int. 2015 May;26:275-282.
Hip labral tear. Cleveland Clinic website. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17756-hip-labral-tear. Updated March 8, 2018. Accessed May 13, 2020.
Labrum tears. Cedars Sinai website. Available at: https://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Health-Conditions/Labrum-Tears.aspx. Accessed May 14, 2020.
Sports-related groin pain. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/approach-to/sports-related-groin-pain . Updated October 31, 2019. Accessed May 13, 2020.
What is a hip labral tear or strain? Mercy Health website. Available at: https://www.mercy.com/health-care-services/orthopedics-sports-medicine-spine/specialties/hip/conditions/hip-labral-tear-strain. Accessed May 14, 2020.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Warren A. Bodine, DO, CAQSM
- Review Date: 02/2020