Treatments Classes

Hip Labral Tear

A hip labral tear is an injury to the labrum, which is the ring of cartilage that follows the outside rim of the hip joint socket. The labrum acts as a cushion and helps to stabilise the hip joint by deepening the socket, allowing the head of the femur (thigh bone) to fit more securely. Labral tears can occur due to various reasons including trauma, structural abnormalities, repetitive motions, and degenerative conditions.

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Symptoms

1.Pain in the hip or groin that is often felt during activities and can range from a dull ache to sharp pain.
2.Stiffness and limited range of motion, especially after prolonged sitting or standing.
3.Clicking, locking, or catching sensations within the hip during movement.
4.Feeling that the hip is giving way or is unstable.

Treatments

Hip labral tears can be treated using a wide range of different methods and your physiotherapist will be able to identify which treatments would be best for your symptoms.
The initial treatment will often involve a physiotherapy approach which focuses on reducing the forces transferred through the anterior hip. This can be achieved through addressing motor control and muscle recruitment of the hip musculature [1]. Stretching of tightened or shortened musculature around the hip may also help symptoms [2]. Rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medications have also been found to reduce pain and improve symptoms over the short term. Activity modification can also be important, and it is important to identify potential activities that may be exacerbating symptoms. Functional activities such as avoiding sitting with knees lower than the hips, sitting with legs crossed or on legs, and swimming with the breaststroke technique have been shown to help to reduce pain symptoms [3]. Gait modification may also be appropriate, particularly if gait technique is related to any worsening symptoms. There may also be a benefit from assessing foot motion, and correcting stiffness or adding support to the medial arch using orthotics if this is deemed to be significantly impacting an individual’s gait pattern [4]. This can be further investigated by a podiatrist.
Depending on symptoms, onward referral for surgical management may also be warranted if conservative treatments are unsuccessful.

References

1.Lewis CL, Sahrmann SA. Acetabular labral tears. Physical therapy. 2006 Jan 1;86(1):110-21.
2.Emary P. Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome: a narrative review for the chiropractor. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association. 2010 Sep;54(3):164.
3.Orbell S, Smith TO. The physiotherapeutic treatment of acetabular labral tears. A systematic review. Advances in Physiotherapy. 2011 Dec 1;13(4):153-61.
4.Groh MM, Herrera J. A comprehensive review of hip labral tears. Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine. 2009 Jun;2:105-17.
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