If you are experiencing pain in your hips – especially pain that is exacerbated by periods of standing, sitting or walking or athletic activity – you may have torn your Hip Labrum. You may also notice stiffness and reduced range of motion – or a clicking sound when you move your hips. If your hip “locks” or “catches,” it’s almost certain you’re dealing with a labral tear.
Your Hip Labrum keeps your hips aligned and protects the joint. Left untreated, a hip labral tear can lead to even more damage to your hip joint.
At the Center for Sports & Regenerative Orthopedics in Waldorf, MD, Hip Labrum injury can be addressed with a variety of treatment options that have proved successful with our patients. Contact us online or call (240) 754-7954 to schedule a consultation today with one of our Hip Labrum specialists on Post Office Road near Post Office Lake in Waldorf, Maryland.
We are located in the St. Charles community of Waldorf, with its walking paths, swimming pools, scenic lakes, playgrounds and neighborhood centers. If you’re traveling in from out of town, we are conveniently located near an array of fine hotels and unique dining experiences.
The Hip Labrum – which is also known as the acetabular labrum – is the ring of cartilage that lines the rim of the hip socket, or acetabulum, in which the head of the femur (thigh bone) sits. It covers the head of the femur and holds the ball and socket parts of the hip together. It serves to cushion the hip joint and also acts as a gasket or rubber seal. It is designed to hold the ball at the top of the thighbone securely within the hip socket.
If the Hip Labrum is torn, it generally causes pain, reduced range of motion in the hip and the feeling that your hip is locking up. Our specialists in regenerative orthopedics are Hip Labrum specialists, specifically trained and experienced in labral tear treatment – as well as other orthopedic issues.
Because it involves torn cartilage, it’s often referred to as a Hip Labrum Tear. Sometimes these tears occur in people who are in middle age or older and are the result of a wearing down of the Hip Labrum cartilage.
In these cases, usually there is an underlying problem with the hip joint that causes additional strain on the Hip Labrum. In men, this underlying problem is usually hip impingement, while women most often suffer from hip dysplasia that leads to the labral tear. A structural abnormality can also lead to a labral tear.
Hip Labrum Tears are almost never sudden. Damage often occurs cumulatively and slowly over time. In most cases, this process of degenerative damage can be generally painless, and you might not see the seemingly “sudden” tear coming. Sometimes even lack of blood supply to the Hip Labrum – which happens as you age – can eventually cause degenerative damage.
When, however, the damage is sudden, Hip Labrum Tears result from trauma due to a sports injury, an accident, or repetitive motion such as long-distance running.
Injury to the Hip Labrum cartilage can happen to any of us, but most often, you witness athletes who participate in high-impact sports experiencing these types of injuries. People who are younger usually only experience Hip Labrum tears from a major injury – like an accident or sports injury, which results in sudden intense pain.
When the labrum is torn or damaged, pain in the hip, groin, buttocks or even thighs is often the most common symptom, and the pain can come on suddenly or gradually. While pain and weakness are the two primary symptoms, other symptoms may include:
If you experience stiffness in the thigh – or other symptoms, like limping when walking, uneven leg length, hip instability, or inability to flex the hip beyond a right angle – these may indicate hip dysplasia or hip impingement, either of which may have led to your torn Hip Labrum.
Generally, ultrasound is our preferred imaging test for diagnosis because it allows us to visualize the Hip Labrum and surrounding structures and allows us to make an accurate assessment on the severity of your injury or damage and what caused it. Having it done the same day as your first visit helps us start your treatment protocol immediately.
We will of course perform a physical exam to check for pain, swelling or stiffness in the area around your Hip Labrum.
Our first step is a thorough medical history which will include questions about any activities, injuries, accidents or other medical conditions that may have led to your condition.
If your labrum tears or detaches from the joint, it can cause instability and reduce its ability to maintain fluid in the joint and serve its very essential role as a shock absorber for the hip joint. This can increase stress on the cartilage lining the hip joint, which can lead to osteoarthritis and further damage to the joint. Diagnosing and treating a Hip Labrum Tear in a timely manner is essential.
After the ultrasound exam and diagnosis of a labral tear, we typically offer physical therapy and exercises to improve body mechanics, as well as possibly utilizing Dry Needling and Trigger Point Injections when necessary to stimulate circulation in the targeted areas and improve mobility. Increasing blood flow to the hip can help reduce the inflammation in the torn Hip Labrum.
If these methods do not help, we may try other methods – cutting-edge alternative treatments like Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) are quite popular. Research has shown that PRP is highly effective for treating Hip Labrum Tears, without the risk or expense of surgery. There are also conventional treatment methods for Hip Labrum injury that include:
At the Center for Sports & Regenerative Orthopedics in Waldorf MD, our specialized Hip Labrum doctors always prioritize our patients’ preferences, and ultimately, we present your options, and you make the choice. Oftentimes, we see athletes or patients who are very active or whose jobs or lifestyles require the problem resolved immediately, and we move right into the more in-depth techniques like PRP or prolotherapy aiming for fast results.
We also have patients who prefer simpler methods, and in those cases, we can take treatment steps one at a time to see what works, trying conservative steps with therapy which can provide strength, stability, and pain relief, but may take more time.
All our treatment methods have an excellent track record and have brought impressive results for our patients in the Waldorf MD area. For more questions about our treatment methods, speak with our experts today to see which might be the best treatment option for you.
At the Center for Sports and Regenerative Orthopedics in Waldorf, MD, our goal is to help you settle back into your best stride. If you are ready to get back to the life you love, take the next step towards diagnosing and addressing your condition. Call (240) 754-7954 or contact us online to set up a consultation with our Hip Labrum specialists!
