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Labral Tears

The labrum is a rim of fibrocartilage surrounding the hip joint that provides hip stability and protection. A labral tear can result in pain in the front or side of the hip as well as the groin. Impact activities or those requiring pivoting can increase pain. This can also occur at night and be associated with sensations of clicking or locking.

What causes a Labral Tear?

Labral tears are often related to car accidents, sports collisions, or overuse. Overuse injuries of the labrum frequently strike athletes involved in sports like soccer, dance, and golf due to the repetitive motion and force that creates stress across the hip and labrum. Tears are also related to femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and hip dysplasia, as well as degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis.

How do you know you have a Labral Tear?

Labral tear symptoms include:

  • Hip pain and stiffness; pain can also affect the groin and buttocks area
  • Clicking sound in the hip area during movement
  • Unsteadiness on your feet
  • Pain that worsens with rotation of the hip or bending

How does OSI fix a Labral Tear?

A board-certified hip specialist will listen to your concerns and examine you for signs and symptoms of a labral tear. Your OSI doctor may do the following to determine if you have a labral tear:

  • Physical exam: Your doctor will perform a careful physical examination. The doctor will check to see how well you can move and for any pain you feel during movement.
  • X-rays: X-rays can identify problems with the hip bones including FAI, as well as conditions that can contribute to a labral tear, such as osteoarthritis.
  • MRI: An MRI may be ordered to check the location and severity of a labral tear.

Nonsurgical Treatment

Nonsurgical treatments of a labral tear include:

  • Medications: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen
  • Physical therapy: Exercises to strengthen and improve flexibility of hip muscles
  • Steroid injections: Injections can provide temporary pain relief and reduce inflammation

Surgical Treatment

Your doctor may recommend surgery if labral tear symptoms do not respond to nonsurgical approaches or if the tear is severe. In many cases, minimally-invasive arthroscopic surgery is the preferred approach.