Hip Labral Tear
Hip Labral tear
Do you experience any of the following?
- Hip/Groin pain after walking/sitting/standing for a prolonged period
- Hip joint clicking/popping/locking
- Stiffness in the hip joint
- Stairs can be a nightmare
- It hurts to bend down to put on shoes!
IF you have experienced some of the above symptoms, you may have a hip labral tear.
What is the labrum of the hip?
The labrum is a rim of cartilage deep in the hip joint which helps to keep the head of the femur (the leg bone) in the acetabulum (socket of the hip). Keeping these two structures together helps the hip joint move smoothly without pain.
What are the symptoms of a hip labral tear?
A labral tear of the hip will often cause pain when the hip joint is required to rotate or bend. Common activities people will often experience pain when performing include going from sitting to standing, climbing up/down stairs, reaching down to tie shoes or sitting cross-legged.
How does this happen?
A hip labral tear can occur from an acute injury such as a fall or sports incident, it can also come on progressively over time.
Do I need an X-ray / Ultrasound / MRI?
A suspected hip labral tear can usually be managed without the need for unnecessary imaging. Your Physiotherapist will thoroughly assess the movement and mobility of the hip joint and also complete functional assessments to accurately diagnose suspected hip labral tears. If we feel imaging is required, we can refer you for x-rays or MRI scans from our clinical rooms.
If you already have done scans in the past, bring them in! We can help explain without medical jargon what’s happening in the scans and explain how relevant it is to your pain and collaboratively nail it. Sometimes imaging can say one thing; but at the end of the day, you are more than just a scan!
How can Physio help with a hip labral tear?
Your Physiotherapist will work with you to identify any areas of muscle weakness or compensation that may be contributing to your hip pain. Often a combination of hands-on therapy and exercise is prescribed to help reduce pain and build strength leading to long-lasting pain reduction.
There have been situations when a scan has shown a labral tear but the patient has been completely fine without any pain or symptoms, so we know that it isn’t just labrum that is the sole cause of pain.
Most patients get to a pain free state with a little bit of Physio!
Will I need a cortisone injection for my hip labral tear?
NO; a cortisone injection is not required to treat a hip labral tear. Cortisone has long been used as a quick-fix treatment; it is now known from recent studies that this injection does not contribute to long lasting symptom change.
Do I need surgery for my hip labral tear?
Surgery is not the recommended as first option when managing a hip labral tear. After completing Physio rehabilitation, if symptoms persist and we feel that an orthopaedic surgeon opinion is required we work closely with the top orthopaedic surgeons and can refer you on for consultation.
How long will Physiotherapy take?
We recommend at least 4-6 months of high effort Physiotherapy to strengthen, stretch and build up your function again prior to making any rushed decisions to seek an orthopaedic opinion. Over the course of your rehabilitation your Physiotherapist will monitor your progression closely and IF we feel any adjunctive therapy or referrals are required, we will discuss this with you.
We will ALWAYS work collaboratively with you to get YOU feeling better quicker!
Don’t let pain stop you from doing what you want to do; make an appointment today to have your hip assessed, plan out your goals with your Physio and let’s get you back to doing whatever it is that you want to do!