ABC Medical Center > Diseases > Hip labral tear

What is hip labral tear?

25 October 2023

This is a tear in the acetabular labrum, a cartilaginous tissue located on the outside of the articular acetabulum of the hip, which supports the head of the femur and serves as a joint shock absorber.

In general, athletes who practice contact sports are most likely to suffer a hip labral tear. However, people who suffer from some morphological abnormality in the hip can also have this injury.

The most common causes of a hip labral tear are:

  • Injuries.
  • Head injury.
  • Congenital malformations in the hip.
  • Repetitive actions.

It is important to diagnose and treat this injury promptly, otherwise the chances of developing osteoarthritis in the hip joint increase.

Signs and symptoms Hip labral tear

Sometimes, when the tear is mild, there are no obvious symptoms, but in more serious cases, the symptoms are as follows:

  • Painful hip when standing or sitting for long periods or exercising.
  • Noises or cracking sounds in the hip joint.
  • Locked hip joint.
  • Numbness and stiffness in the hip joint.
  • Dynamic limitations in the joint.

Diagnosis and treatment Hip labral tear

The orthopedist will analyze and evaluate your symptoms and clinical history and will perform a physical examination where you will have to adopt various positions to see your reactions and check your dynamic limitations.

To confirm the diagnosis and rule out other conditions, you will be asked:

  • X-rays.
  • Magnetic resonance arthrography.

The treatment to be followed will be established based on how serious the symptoms are, so in mild cases, only rest, physical therapy, and some drugs are indicated; while in more serious cases the following are prescribed:

  • Painkillers.
  • Anti-inflammatories.
  • Arthroscopic surgery.
  • Physiotherapy.

How to prevent a hip labral tear:
The best preventive measure is to strengthen and make the muscles around the hip more flexible, so you must see a physiotherapist about the optimal exercises to achieve this goal.

At the Orthopedics and Traumatology Center we seek to improve the lives of patients restricted or immobilized by musculoskeletal disorders or injuries. We specialize in the care of the locomotor system by integrating the latest medical, biological, and technological advances, in strict adherence to the highest international standards of patient care.

Related centers and departments Hip labral tear

Orthopedics and Traumatology Center
High Specialty Surgery Center
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

  • cun.es
  • topdoctors.es
  • elsevier.es
  • middlesexhealth.org
  • mayoclinic.org
  • medlineplus.gov
  • msdmanuals.com
  • medigraphic.com
  • Camacho GJ, Sánchez BM, González UH. Ruptura del labrum acetabular, tratamiento artroscópico, seguimiento a dos años. An Med Asoc Med Hosp ABC. 2012;57(2):129-135.
  • González GAJ, Ochoa CR. Reparación del labrum acetabular vía artroscópica. Acta Med. 2019;17(1):56-60.

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