What can mimic a hip labral tear?

Patients should be aware, however, that hip labral tears can be easily misdiagnosed due to their overlapping similarities with other conditions of the hip. The symptoms of a hip labral tear can mimic those of hip flexor tendonitis, hip bursitis, and other soft tissue injuries to the hip.


Can a hip labral tear be misdiagnosed?

Labral tears are difficult to diagnose, partially because of the many muscles and other structures that are near the hip joint. They are often misdiagnosed as common groin strains and it is not uncommon for the diagnosis to be missed for many months after the labrum is torn.

How do you rule out a hip labral tear?

X-rays are excellent at visualizing bone. They can check for arthritis and for structural problems. A magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) can provide detailed images of your hip's soft tissues. MRA combines MRI technology with a contrast material injected into the hip joint space to make a labral tear easier to see.


What are some key symptoms that may indicate a labral tear in the hip?

Symptoms
  • Pain in the hip or groin, often made worse by long periods of standing, sitting or walking or athletic activity.
  • A locking, clicking or catching sensation in the hip joint.
  • Stiffness or limited range of motion in the hip joint.


What 4 tests if positive are indicative of a hip labral tear?

Thus, there are at least 4 tests which utilize these motions in the differential diagnosis of the labrum: Anterior and Posterior Labral Tests, the Log Roll, and the Scour. The anterior and posterior labral tests are also known as the Fitzgerald Tests.


Hip Labral Tear: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments



What aggravates a hip labral tear?

Many patients with labral tears describe a constant dull pain with intermittent episodes of sharp pain that worsens with activity. Walking, pivoting, prolonged sitting, and impact activities, such as running, often aggravate symptoms.

What percentage of hip labral tears need surgery?

Labral Tears After Age 40

8 Almost 20% of these patients ultimately end up having hip replacement surgery within a year and a half of undergoing arthroscopic hip surgery. It is clear that not every individual who has a hip labral tear needs arthroscopic hip surgery.

Does a hip labral tear hurt all the time?

Some patients with diagnosable hip labral tears may not experience any noticeable pain at all. Some patients also report experiencing the hip locking up during everyday use. Other patients may feel hip clicking or hear hip popping during normal movements.


Does a labral tear hurt all the time?

In most cases, a labrum SLAP tear doesn't hurt all the time. The pain usually happens when you use your shoulder to do a task, especially an overhead activity. You may also notice: A catching, locking, or grinding feeling.

Where do you feel pain with a hip labral tear?

Hip labral tear symptoms include: Pain in the hip, groin or buttocks, especially as you walk or run, and sometimes at night when you sleep. Hip stiffness or limited range of motion. A clicking or locking sensation in the hip joint when you move.

Do hip labral tears always show on MRI?

A “positive” MRI with contrast helps confirm the presence of the labrum tear and helps identify where the tear is located. However, it should be noted that hip labrum tears are difficult to image. In other words, the MRI with contrast may not show a tear even though it is present.


How do I know if my hip labrum is torn?

Hip Labral Tear Symptoms
  1. Hip pain or groin pain.
  2. Stiffness or limited range of motion in the hip joint.
  3. A hip joint that locks, clicks or “catches”


Will a cortisone shot help a torn hip labrum?

A shot of cortisone (steroid) will not heal a torn hip labrum. It may relieve pain in the hip for days, weeks, or sometimes months, but it does not have a long-lasting benefit. Some patients may overuse a torn labrum in the hip following pain relief, leading to further damage over time.

What are special tests for hip labral tear?

Fitzgerald Test.

To test for a posterior labral tear, the PT performs passive extension, abduction, external rotation, from the position of full hip flexion, internal rotation, and adduction while the patient is supine. Tests are considered to be positive with pain reproduction with or without an audible click.


Will a CT scan show a hip labrum tear?

Conclusions: Ninety percent of patients with labral tears had structural abnormalities seen on CT scans. These structural abnormalities frequently occur in combination, and understanding these underlying morphologic features of the hip can help guide treatment.

Does hip labral tear pain radiate?

Symptoms of a labral tear: Pain from a hip labral tear is most often felt near the groin in the front of the hip. Sometimes, patients will feel pain at the side and behind the hip joint, and this pain may radiate down the thigh.

Can you make a labral hip tear worse?

If you have a hip labral tear, hip pain or discomfort may get worse when you bend, move or rotate the hip, or exercise or play sports.


What should I avoid if I have a hip labral tear?

What Should be Avoided with a Hip Labral Tear? Positions of pain such as excessive hip extension, jumping and pivoting should be avoided as it can cause impingement of the hip joint and spasm of the surrounding musculature.

Can you walk with a torn hip labrum?

Pain in the front of the hip or groin resulting from a hip labral tear can cause an individual to have limited ability to stand, walk, climb stairs, squat, or participate in recreational activities.

Will physical therapy help a torn hip labrum?

Many are able to treat hip labral pain and other kinds of hip pain through hip labral tear treatment in physical therapy, although sometimes surgery is required. You can seek physical therapy for a hip labral tear, and under the guidance of a physical therapist perform torn hip labrum exercises at home.


How long will I be off work after hip labrum surgery?

Return to work It is recommended you take a minimum of 4 weeks off from work. If your job allows you to work from home, you may begin this 1‐2 weeks after surgery. Even if you have a desk job, in the first few weeks after surgery you need to avoid prolonged sitting.

What happens to an untreated hip labral tear?

If a labral tear is left untreated, it will lead to ongoing and worsening pain. A normal labrum is important to the normal function of the hip joint. A torn labrum leads to cartilage damage and eventual arthritis of the hip joint.

Can you live without hip labrum surgery?

Fortunately, most hip labral tears can be effectively treated without surgery. Depending on the severity of the injury, a hip labral tear can be a serious condition, leading to joint instability and the possibility of future injuries down the road.


How long do you stay in the hospital after a labral tear surgery?

You may have to stay in the hospital for two to five days. After surgery for acetabular labral tears, some patients remain in the hospital for as long as two to five days. Nurses typically apply a fresh bandage on the first post–operative day.

Does labral tear lead to hip replacement?

Total hip replacement may be recommended if hip osteoarthritis is present in addition to a hip labral tear. A new hip may dramatically improve your quality of life by alleviating pain and restoring function and a full range of motion.
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