Hip Labral Tear
A hip labral tear occurs when the rim of the cartilage around the hip joint, called the labrum, is torn. The labrum is a tough structure, so when it tears, the hip injury is usually severe or occurs over a long period of time. The labrum runs along the outer rim of the hip socket where the thigh bone fits in. Like all structures of the hip joint, it plays an important role.
The labrum not only provides nutrition to the hip joint but also has other functions. Some of the important functions that your hip labrum performs include:
- Cushioning the hip socket
- Preventing the bones of the joint from rubbing against each other
- Sealing the joint to hold in the head of the femur
- Deepening the socket to provide more stability
Hip Labral Tear NYC — SPIN Sports Pain Specialists
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Same-day hip labral tear appointments available.
Twisting Your Way to a Tear
When a tear does happen, your sports medicine doctor has a number of tools and techniques aimed at providing the best labral hip tear treatment. If you have hip pain, see your pain management doctor before you do any more damage to your hip joint.
Trauma and long-term repetitive motion are the main causes of a hip labral tear. Occasionally, structural abnormalities of the hip like hip dysplasia are a factor. Normal wear and tear can also make the joint and the labrum weak, making it more prone to a tear.
The repetitive, twisting or pivoting motion of these sports takes a toll on your hip joint. Otherwise, a severe blow to your hip, as in a fall or car accident, can also cause a labral tear. In these cases, and in a large percentage of hip labral tears, the injury doesn't occur in isolation. So you likely have other injuries as well.
Symptoms Can Go Unnoticed
Because your hip is usually such a stable joint and most tears occur gradually, you may notice few if any symptoms. But around 20 percent of athletes with groin pain have suffered a hip labral tear. Some symptoms to look out for include:
Pain in your hip or groin
Stiffness or limited range of motion in your hip joint
Instability of your hip or leg
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A locking, clicking or catching of your hip joint
If you suffer these symptoms, they may worsen over time or during prolonged walking, standing, or sitting. A hip labral tear has been indirectly linked to osteoarthritis. Left untreated, a hip labral tear may lead to permanent damage and disability.
Coming to a Diagnosis
Because the labrum's difficult to visualize and impossible to move from the outside like other muscles, your doctor's diagnosis relies on invasive procedures. But he'll still talk to you about your specific medical history concerning any recent trauma you may have had.
A probable diagnosis can be reached by injecting an anesthetic into your hip joint. If there's pain relief, then the problem's in the joint. Imaging is the gold standard for diagnosing a hip labral tear and may include x-rays, MRI, or arthroscopic exam.
Goals Are Important
Hip labral tear treatment varies with the severity of the symptoms, characteristics of the tear, your age, and the health of your hip joint. But the labral tear treatment goals remain very similar: pain relief and improvement of hip joint function. Labral tear treatment should be performed by our sports medicine physician, who specializes in labral tears and pain relief.
Labral tear hip treatment ranges from lifestyle modifications to surgical intervention, but the trend is toward more conservative, less invasive remedies. Prevention of a hip labral tear is in your hands. Conditioning the muscles around the joint, avoiding repetitive and stressful movements and maintaining a good posture help prevent a hip labral tear and the subsequent need for labral tear treatment.
Ready to find relief from hip pain?
Dr. Melepura's Midtown Manhattan clinic offers same-day appointments for evaluation and treatment.
Prevent the Worst Case: See a Professional
Surgical hip labral tear treatment is required in some cases. It's called arthroscopic surgery. You may be eligible for one of two procedures, depending on your injury:
Refixation
is when the labrum is surgically repaired with sutures. Each layer is sutured individually and placed back in the correct position.
Debridement
is the removal of a small part of the labrum. This prevents small bits of it from getting caught in the joint and causing pain.
No matter what type of treatment you need for a hip labral tear, the Sports and Pain Institute of NY helps you get back in your game as quickly and as painlessly as possible.
Real Stories from our Patients
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD
Double Board-Certified Pain Specialist
Meet Dr. Febin Melepura — Your Hip Labral Tear Specialist in NYC
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD is a double board-certified interventional pain management specialist and the founder of the Sports Pain Institute of New York. He completed his residency and fellowship training at New York Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University Medical Center, one of the nation's leading academic medical centers.
He holds dual board certifications from the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine, and has treated more than 7,500 patients and performed over 5,250 procedures throughout his career. He has been named a Top Pain Management Doctor in New York and one of America's Top Doctors™ by Castle Connolly.
Dr. Melepura's approach to hip pain is rooted in precision: identify the exact source, treat it with a targeted injection, and get you back to your daily life as quickly as possible.
Ready to Book an Appointment?
Same-day appointments available. Call (212) 621-7746 or book online.
What Our Hip Pain Patients Say
"Able to make an appointment to see Dr. Melepura on short notice… attentive to my concerns… Jazmin was also very kind and helpful."
"Excellent hospitality, listener and explainer… highly recommend the doctor and the place."
"Dr. Melepura is the best! He worked with me to find the optimal solution to my shoulder pain while I was preparing for a fight!"
"Lovely, bright and modern… doctor and staff were kind… felt my concerns were heard."
"Helpful and friendly staff who gladly follows up with you if and when needed. Dr Melepura was very helpful and professional as well as provided me with excellent information and feedback."
"Dr Febin is fantastic! Highly recommend him and his practice the Spin clinic. The doctor is a good listener, kind, attentive and gave me great advice. "
"Dr.Melepura was very efficient and interpersonal, felt like he was understanding the problems I was having and explained the processes to take to rehabilitate. I would recommend."
"I felt listened to and truly understood by Dr. Melepura. Started PT the very next day. They were very friendly and I didn't feel rushed at all. Already recommended them to my friends who have or continue to play through pain."