A hip labral tear involves the ring of soft elastic tissue, called the labrum, that follows the outside rim of the socket of your hip joint. The labrum acts like a socket to hold the ball at the top of your thighbone (femur) in place.
Causes
The cause of a hip labral tear may be:
Trauma. Injury to or dislocation of the hip joint — which can occur during car accidents or from playing contact sports such as football or hockey — can cause a hip labral tear.
Structural abnormalities. Some people are born with hip problems that can accelerate wear and tear of the joint and eventually cause a hip labral tear.
Repetitive motions. Sports-related and other physical activities — including the sudden twisting or pivoting motions common in golf or hockey — can lead to joint wear and tear that ultimately results in a hip labral tear.
Symptoms
Many hip labral tears cause no signs or symptoms. Occasionally, however, you may experience one or more of the following:
- A locking, clicking or catching sensation in your hip joint
- Pain in your hip or groin
- Stiffness or limited range of motion in your hip joint
Treatment
Procedural options for hip labral tears include cortisone injections that can help with pain from this condition but are not a good long term solution. Regenerative type injections suchs as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can theoretically help repair labral injury. If there is a structural cause of the labral tear (such as femoracetabular impingment) then that condition should be addressed as well.