When someone suffers from a hip labrum tear, it simply means that the individual has sustained an injury to the cartilage within the socket of the hip. Most cases of tears within this region of the body are a result of an athletic pursuit, like football, soccer, baseball or even golf. The reason for this is that this kind of injury is caused by a repetitive twisting motion that eventually takes a toll on the soft tissue within the hip socket. Incurring an injury to the hip labrum brings with it a number of painful symptoms.
Asymptomatic
For a number of people, a hip labrum tear causes no symptoms at all, not even pain, especially at the very onset of the condition. In this situation, the individual may never know of the injury until the tear worsens in size or severity.
Pain
One of the common symptoms of a hip labrum tear is pain. This pain is usually isolated to the hip, but it may diffuse out into the groin. It can range in intensity from a dull discomfort to a sharp ache, depending on the severity of the injury as well as the activity level. For some people, the pain persists even after periods of rest.
Locking
Often accompanying pain is a locking or catching within the hip. As a person with a hip labrum tear moves, his hip may suddenly lock or catch, prompting a sudden inability to move the leg of the affected hip. This limits the range of motion and may also prompt unexpected pain.
Stiffness
It's not uncommon for a person with a hip labrum tear to experience some degree of stiffness. This stiffness may be triggered by activity or inactivity, but it is usually the result of blood rushing to the injured tissue, causing it to become inflamed and swollen. This prompts the tissue to tense and become stiff.
Treatment
Treatment for a hip labrum tear is commonly dictated by the amount of pain, locking and stiffness a person experiences due to the injury. For most people, over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen or naproxen can be used to not only relieve pain but reduce the associated inflammation. You may also need to do physical therapy to increase both flexibility and strength within the hip as well as better understand the direct cause of the injury. In much more severe cases, your doctor may recommend surgery to repair any tissue damage.
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