A hip labral tear won’t heal on its own , but rest and other measures can help manage symptoms of a minor tear. Nonsurgical treatments include: Anti-inflammatory medications: Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) can reduce inflammation.
Do you need surgery for a torn hip labrum?
If a hip labral tear causes significant hip pain and symptoms do not improve with medical treatment or therapeutic injections, NYU Langone doctors may recommend surgery to repair or reconstruct the labrum and fix any underlying structural abnormality that may have caused the labral tear.
How long does it take to recover from a torn hip labrum?
Every patient is unique in their specific injury and recovery. While most patients can expect to spend four months in one-on-one treatment with a physical therapist, it could take up to nine months to fully recover. Most patients should be able to return to normal activities by four to five months post-surgery.
What is the best way to treat a labrum repair to the hip?
Treatment depends on how severe your symptoms are. Some people recover in a few weeks with conservative treatments, including rest and modified activities ; others need arthroscopic surgery to repair the torn portion of the labrum.
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 a cortisone shot help a torn hip labrum?
Cortisone will NOT repair a torn labrum . Some patients receive several months of relief, but others do not receive more than a few days of relief. It is not advisable to resume high impact activities if the cortisone injection decreases pain from the hip because of concerns of further damage to the torn labrum.
What aggravates 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.
How painful is hip labrum surgery?
Generally, you’ll experience some hip discomfort during recovery . This discomfort may also be experienced in your buttock, lower back, ankle and knee. We can use appropriate pain medication to reduce the discomfort.
Do hip labral tears show up on MRI?
In particular, MRI scans provide detailed pictures of soft tissue, including cartilage and the labrum . Doctors and radiologists at NYU Langone use three-dimensional MRI technology, which provides images of the hip joint from every angle and can reveal even the subtlest injury in the labrum or surrounding structures.
Can physical therapy fix 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.
What to avoid if you 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 physical therapy help a torn labrum?
A labral tear can occur from a fall or from repetitive work activities or sports that require you to use your arms raised above your head. Some labral tears can be managed with physical therapy ; in severe cases, surgery may be required to repair the torn labrum. Physical therapists are movement experts.
How soon can you walk after hip labrum surgery?
Hip arthroscopy patients can expect to walk using crutches for 1-2 weeks afterward, and to undergo six weeks of physical therapy. It may be 3-6 months before they experience no pain after physical activity. Below is some guidance on ways to expedite the recovery and healing process.
What happens if a hip labral tear goes untreated?
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.
What does hip labrum tear feel like?
Hip labral tear symptoms can include: Deep groin pain or pain in the buttocks on the side of the injured hip. A feeling or sound of clicking or locking when your hip is in motion. Hip pain, especially while it rotates in certain directions.
Does a torn hip labrum hurt all the time?
The intensity of pain and other symptoms varies by individual and by the severity of the damage. 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.
How serious is a torn labrum?
The labrum is the attachment site for the shoulder ligaments and supports the ball-and-socket joint as well as the rotator cuff tendons and muscles. It contributes to shoulder stability and, when torn, can lead to partial or complete shoulder dislocation .
Can you make a labrum tear worse?
Some evidence suggests that shoulder instability may eventually make labral tears worse . The goal of therapy will be to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles to make the shoulder more stable.
Can a hip labral tear cause arthritis?
A hip labral tear is damage to the labrum in the hip. That damage can lead to hip pain, damage to the bones in the joint, and arthritis in the joint .
Can a hip labral tear cause lower back pain?
Some patients may also have pain radiating to the back or side which often gets worse when flexing the hip forward. The pain is usually worsened with activity and is sharp, sometimes described as a knife stabbing them in the groin.
How do you sit with a torn labrum in the hip?
Avoid choosing low chairs or lounges/sofas . Tilt your seatbase forward just a little if possible, to bring the hips a little higher than your knees. Use a wedge cushion. Recline your seatback slightly.
How do you live with a hip labral tear?
- Anti-inflammatory medications. (This is not something we recommend. ...
- Stronger pain medications. ...
- Physical therapy may also be recommended for rehabilitation. ...
- Rest and Ice, recommendations we usually will not suggest to a patient.
Do you wear a brace after hip labrum surgery?
The average postoperative course involves 2 weeks in a hip brace and 2 weeks on crutches to protect the work done on the hip. A brace may be required for 6 weeks , and crutches may be required for up to 8 weeks if the hip’s condition requires a more extensive surgery.
What can you not do after hip labrum surgery?
Avoid putting too much weight on your leg and lifting the leg up . Your surgeon recommends avoiding active hip flexion (lifting your leg up at the hip) until 2-3 weeks after your surgery. This precaution is to prevent excessive hip flexor tendonitis after your surgery.
How do you sit after hip labrum surgery?
When sitting, try to sit with the hips at 90 degrees . Sitting with the knees closer to the chest might produce pain or pinching at the hip. Limit prolonged standing and walking up to four weeks after surgery to avoid hip discomfort. Avoid deep squatting or heavy lifting up to six weeks after surgery.
