Hip pain is often associated with aging, but you can experience a debilitating hip injury at any age. If left untreated, a labral tear can lead to persistent pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion.
With proper diagnosis and imaging tests, your doctor can decide the best course of treatment — whether that involves bed rest or surgery.
At The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre in The Woodlands, Texas, our team of experienced orthopedic surgeons can diagnose your hip injury, identify a labral tear, and recommend the appropriate course of treatment.
Like many joints in the body, the hip is cushioned by cartilage and supported by connective tissue, tendons, and muscles. While this complex design allows us an amazing range of motion, injuries to a single part of your hip joint can have serious consequences.
In the case of labral tears, the cartilage inside the hip socket tears away. The labrum is responsible for securing the thigh bone in its socket; without it, the entire hip joint becomes unstable.
Sports and other activities involving lots of legwork, including hockey, ballet, football, and soccer, can put you at risk of labral tears.
Labral tears are typically caused by two things: acute injury or chronic overuse.
Trauma to the hip during contact sports or accidents can cause the labrum to tear, leading to sudden, strong pain and inflammation. In these cases, you should get in touch with a sports medicine doctor immediately to assess the damage.
However, symptoms of overuse can be more insidious. If you frequently perform repetitive motions like running, twisting, and pivoting, the cartilage cushioning your hip can slowly wear away.
Over time, this can manifest as an intensifying ache inside your hip. A sports medicine doctor is still your best option for treatment of a labral tear.
Generally, the symptoms of a labral tear include:
Treatment for labral tears depends on a number of factors, including your age, overall health, and the seriousness of the tear.
At the The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre, our team assesses your injury before consulting you about what treatments you’re comfortable with, including:
If surgery is necessary, our surgeons perform the procedure arthroscopically. This not only reduces the number of incisions needed, but also minimizes tissue damage and helps you recover more quickly.
To learn more about labral tears and discuss your options, schedule a consultation by calling 281-374-2273, or book an appointment online.
