Do you know what the crucial functions of a hip labrum are? What causes hip labral tears? Which methods do orthopedic specialists use in the diagnosis of hip labral tears? What are the various labral tear hip treatment options?

Hip labral tear.

The hip joint socket is surrounded by a ring of cartilage known as the hip labrum. The crucial functions of the hip labrum include the following:

• Shock absorption.
• Joint lubrication.
• Hip stability.

A painful hip makes it difficult to walk, play sports, or even get up from a chair. The most common cause of hip pain and instability is a torn labrum. There are surgical and non-surgical treatment options for hip labral tears. Labral reconstruction is done if the labrum is injured badly beyond repair.

When the hip labrum detaches from the rim of the acetabulum, a hip labral tear occurs. It reduces the capacity of the labrum to contain fluid within the joint and absorb shock leading to hip instability. A tear in the labrum is caused by the following:

• Repetitive motions.
• Osteoarthritis
• Trauma and injury.
• Structural abnormalities.

If you have a torn labrum, you will experience pain, locking sensation, clicking sounds, limited mobility, and hip joint stiffness. Orthopedic specialists will conduct a diagnosis and prescribe effective labral tear hip treatment options.

Diagnosis.

The following tests are used in the diagnosis of torn hip labrum:

• Magnetic resonance imaging.

The hip joint space is injected with a contrast dye to help the material visualize where the labral tear is and its severity.

• Physical examination.

The doctor will ask you to walk and move your legs around during the examination.

• X-rays.

There might be another reason why you are experiencing the pain. An X-ray will check if the pain is due to fractures or structural abnormalities. The X-ray will help the orthopedic specialists rule out other underlying conditions that may cause pain.

• Medical history.

A certified medical practitioner will inquire about your previous surgeries and injuries.

• Anesthesia injection.

An anesthetic is injected into the joint space. If the problem is inside your hip joint, the pain will be relieved.

Labral tear hip treatment options.

The patient’s symptoms, the severity of the tear, and individual preferences help to determine the best treatment option. Non-surgical treatments are used for patients with minor labral tears.

• Physical therapy.

It helps to relieve the pain and improve your range of motion by stretching and strengthening hip muscles.

• Medications.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication helps to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Medications like steroids are injected into the hip joint to control the pain temporarily.

• Surgery.

If the non-invasive treatments do not help to relieve pain, surgery is recommended. The common surgical procedure is arthroscopy, where the surgeon makes a small incision in the hip joint area and inserts a camera to visualize the labrum. The labrum is then repaired or reconstructed depending on the severity of the tear.

 Conclusion

The crucial functions of the hip labrum include shock absorption, joint lubrication, and hip stability. For the orthopedic specialist to diagnose a torn labrum, they will conduct tests like anesthesia injection, physical examination, look at the medical history, magnetic resonance imaging, and X-ray. The labral tear hip treatment options available are physical therapy, medication, and surgery.