A hip labral tear is an injury that’s more common among athletes. This injury occurs when the labrum, which is the cartilage that surrounds the joint, goes through trauma. It can be very painful and can even cause deformities if it’s severe enough.
Here’s what you need to know about a hip labral tear.
What are the causes of a labral tear?
A labral tear is caused by various mechanisms of injury. Labral tears can be caused by traumatic events such as a motorcycle accident. Another way this injury can occur is from playing a high-impact sport such as hockey and football. Someone may experience a labral tear through repetitive motions such as running and twisting as well. Sports like golf, for example, causes wear and tear in the muscles and ligaments. As a result, it may lead to a labral tear.
What are the symptoms of a labral tear?
A labral tear doesn’t necessarily have any symptoms like an illness does. However, there are a few things that you can experience if you have a labral tear.
Here is a list of what you may experience with a labral tear:
– A feeling of stiffness in the hip
– Sharp pain in the hip area
– Hearing and feeling clicking whenever you walk
– Pain in the groin area that becomes more intense from long intervals of walking and sitting
– Your hip doesn’t have as much range of motion
Some people may not experience these symptoms right away. Also, what you experience does depend on how severe the tear is.
What are the treatment options for a labral tear?
Before you can receive treatment, a doctor must diagnose the source and severity of the issue. There are two ways a labral tear can be diagnosed; an MRI or an anesthetic injection.
An MRI is a type of image scan that gives doctors detailed information on your hip’s joints and tissue. In fact, a labral tear almost never happens by itself. It’s usually the result of another issue such as wear and tear.
An anesthesia injection is when a doctor injects an anesthetic into your hip area. The goal behind this is to determine whether or not it relieves the pain and discomfort. If it does, then the problem is coming from within the hip joint.
Once you’ve been diagnosed, you’ll be prescribed a form of treatment. What type of treatment you’re given depends on the severity of the issue. Some people are given medication while others are recommended therapy.
In the worst case scenario, a labral tear may even require a surgical operation. This is something that athletes need to be most concerned about as it can take a few weeks before they can do sports again.
A hip labral tear is more than your run-of-the-mill muscle strain. It can be very painful and may possibly become worse overtime. If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, contact Plano Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center.
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POSMC is a full-service medical facility specializing in the evaluation and treatment of orthopedic injuries. The practice is led by a group of 12 board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons and a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician. Contact us today!