“Hip flexor or labrum injury?”
How can I tell whether I injured my hip flexor or my labrum? I tore my labrum in my right hip two years ago and am having similar symptoms in my left hip now, but my athletic trainer thinks that it is just a hip flexor strain. That is what she told me it was when I hurt my right hip as well. How do I know if she is right or if I need to go to the orthopedist again?
Female | 18 years old
Complaint duration: 8 days
Medications: none
Conditions: none
6 Answers
Good morning and thanks for sharing your hip issue with the FATD community. Allow me to offer my thoughts, tips and suggestions.
You have the benefit (unfortunate benefit) of having a labral injury on the other side, so you have the experience as to how the other injury occurred and how it made you feel prior to seeking specialist guidance. If this new injury feels the same and occurred in a similar manner, then maybe it is a labral tear more than hip flexor injury.
Sometimes, depending on the mechanism of injury, both soft tissues are damaged (but one more than another). The hip flexor is a tendon. Tendons are painful with active and passive range of motion (revealed in a good physical exam). Labral tears (ligaments) are more reveled with stability aspects of a physical exam, or manipulation of the affected joint during an exam. Painful clicking, catching and giving way of the hip (with twisting, sudden change of direction movements during sports, and stairclimbing) is experienced with labral pathology.
However, if the forces across the hip during the trauma that led to the pain (if this was the mechanism) may have simply bruised the labrum and not torn it. As an 18 year old your body can still heal very well. Since the injury was only 8 days ago (at the time of your writing the submission), the best option at this time is rest. Rest is best to allow your body to start the healing process. Too much activity, not listening to your body, or pushing through the pain has very limited upside. The downside aspects are many and can lead to permanent damage and changes to your hip (and body) forever.
Keeping an avid athlete on the sidelines is not easy but is so worth it (for them). Your body is young and healthy. Damage to joints does not always heal and sometimes leads to injury in other parts of your body. Be careful and courteous to your body.
I hope this helps.
You have the benefit (unfortunate benefit) of having a labral injury on the other side, so you have the experience as to how the other injury occurred and how it made you feel prior to seeking specialist guidance. If this new injury feels the same and occurred in a similar manner, then maybe it is a labral tear more than hip flexor injury.
Sometimes, depending on the mechanism of injury, both soft tissues are damaged (but one more than another). The hip flexor is a tendon. Tendons are painful with active and passive range of motion (revealed in a good physical exam). Labral tears (ligaments) are more reveled with stability aspects of a physical exam, or manipulation of the affected joint during an exam. Painful clicking, catching and giving way of the hip (with twisting, sudden change of direction movements during sports, and stairclimbing) is experienced with labral pathology.
However, if the forces across the hip during the trauma that led to the pain (if this was the mechanism) may have simply bruised the labrum and not torn it. As an 18 year old your body can still heal very well. Since the injury was only 8 days ago (at the time of your writing the submission), the best option at this time is rest. Rest is best to allow your body to start the healing process. Too much activity, not listening to your body, or pushing through the pain has very limited upside. The downside aspects are many and can lead to permanent damage and changes to your hip (and body) forever.
Keeping an avid athlete on the sidelines is not easy but is so worth it (for them). Your body is young and healthy. Damage to joints does not always heal and sometimes leads to injury in other parts of your body. Be careful and courteous to your body.
I hope this helps.
Hello,
Sometimes muscle strains can take a few days to weeks in order to heal. I recommend resting from strenuous activity and rotate heat/ice. If the pain persists for more than a few days, I recommend coming in for an exam and x-ray to prevent further damage. Please feel free to call our office for a consultation at 855-STRAITH.
Dr. Michael Fleischman
Sometimes muscle strains can take a few days to weeks in order to heal. I recommend resting from strenuous activity and rotate heat/ice. If the pain persists for more than a few days, I recommend coming in for an exam and x-ray to prevent further damage. Please feel free to call our office for a consultation at 855-STRAITH.
Dr. Michael Fleischman
Labral tears are rather benign and can be a partial “defect” in the labral tissue that surrounds the socket(to make it deeper) .
What was the injury that provoked this ?
And where exactly do you have pain ?
I think your trainer is probably correct.
Dr. Mudano
What was the injury that provoked this ?
And where exactly do you have pain ?
I think your trainer is probably correct.
Dr. Mudano
Make an appointment with a orthopedist. You need an MRI.
I would recommend rehabilitating your hip if you do not respond seek to consult with orthopedist.
They both present similar in appearance in on clinical exam. Usually hip flexors will resolve within one or two months with rest and proper therapy/treatment. Labral tears may calm down but will re-emerge. The only way to definitively define or diagnose the acetabular labrum tear is a MRI arthrogram. You should go see your orthopedic surgeon if you want to find out the exact answer right away or wait and see one to two months to see if it resolves or not. Hopefully this helps.
