A labral tear occurs when your labrum, which is the rim of soft cartilage that lines your hip joint, becomes damaged due to overuse or injury. Because the labrum ensures that your thigh bone (femur) and hip bone (pelvis) move smoothly within the joint, a tear can result in pain and a limited range of motion. Speak with a Bayhealth orthopedic expert about labral tears.
Signs and Symptoms
While the symptoms of labral tears are common in most cases, the pain of those symptoms depends on the severity of the injury. Symptoms of labral tears include the following.
- Pain in the pelvic area during movement
- Stiffness of the hip
- Limited range of motion around the hip joint
- The feeling that your hip is locking up
Some labral tears take years to present noticeable symptoms.
Risk Factors
While exact causes of labral tears may vary depending on where on the labrum the injury occurred—meaning the front of the hip joint (anterior labral tear) or the back of the hip joint (anterior labral tear)—the most common factors include the following.
- Hip Impingement: Also known as femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), a hip impingement means your hip doesn’t fit together correctly, creating pressure and friction that may intensify over time.
- Injury: A trauma—such as a fracture—to the hip joint or surrounding area increases the risk of a labral tear at some point in your life.
- Overuse: Active individuals, or those who hold physically demanding jobs such as athletes, are at greater risk of labral tears due to repetitive stress on the hip joint.
- Wear and Tear: Normal daily use of a joint can eventually result in damage—such as a labral tear—as you reach an advanced age.
How We Diagnose Labral Tears
Our orthopedic experts use the following procedures to diagnose labral tears.
- X-Ray: A common medical imaging procedure, X-rays use radiation to capture colorless images of your bones, joints and soft tissue.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): A combination of a magnetic field and radio waves creates three-dimensional images of specific areas of your body.
Treatment Options
While labral tears don’t heal on their own, minor cases of the injury can be managed without surgical intervention. Conservative approaches like rest, over-the-counter pain medication, steroid injections and physical therapy could be enough to alleviate pain. However, if the tear is severe and your pain has not diminished after a period of nonsurgical treatment, surgery (hip arthroscopy) may be required. Speak with an orthopedic expert about labral tears.
Learn more about orthopedic conditions treated at Bayhealth.