
Common tests & procedures
What Does a Labral Tear Feel Like? Hip labral tears are difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are often similar to, or in conjunction with, other hip injuries. In general, after a hip labral tear you may notice: Pain in the hip or groin area Stiffness Limited range of motion Catching, locking, or clicking sensation in the hip joint
What does a labral tear in the hip feel like?
What are the Pros of Hip Labral Tear Surgery?
- Relief from pain. If the hip labral tear is causing pain, surgery can be a successful way to address the issue. ...
- Improved range of motion. Arthroscopy can improve the range of motion in the hip joint. ...
- Prevention of Damage to the hip joint. ...
- Higher Success rate is one of the main pros of hip labral tear surgery. ...
- Surgery is a relatively safe procedure. ...
Is surgery necessary for labral tear?
The short answer is not always. Some hip labrum tears can be managed without surgical intervention. While the labrum does not heal on its own, there are things you can do to alleviate pain and other associated symptoms. If the labrum tear is severe however, surgery is recommended. You can learn more about a torn hip labrum here: Hip Labrum Tear.
Is it possible to heal a torn hip labrum?
The good news? 2/3 of patients with a labral tear don’t need surgery and can recover to full pain-free function with conservative treatment. That means manipulative therapy to correct joint motion and rehabilitative therapy to restore muscle balance in the shoulder.
Can a labral tear heal without surgery?

How do you check for a torn hip labrum?
To diagnose a hip labral tear, the doctor will do a physical examination. During the exam, the doctor may ask you to move your leg or walk around. How well you can move, and any pain you feel while moving, can help the doctor with the diagnosis. Imaging tests can also help doctors diagnose a hip labral tear.
What does a torn labrum in the hip 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.
Can you still walk with a hip labral tear?
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 xray show hip labral tear?
A torn labrum cannot be seen on X-ray, but an MRI can show a tear. The MRI should be done with dye having been injected into the hip joint to give a clearer picture of the labrum. Treatment of hip impingement should begin with rest from painful activities, such as running, jumping and dancing.
What aggravates hip labral tear?
Walking, pivoting, prolonged sitting, and impact activities, such as running, often aggravate symptoms.
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.
What happens if a labral tear in the hip goes untreated?
Complications. 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.
Is hip labrum surgery worth it?
Doctors recommend labral tear surgery to patients who they think are good candidates—these patient are not at high risk for surgical complications and are likely to have good postsurgical results. For other patients, a hip replacement or other hip surgery may be considered.
How long is recovery for hip labrum surgery?
How Long Does Hip Labral Tear Recovery Take? After a hip labral tear surgery, most patients spend four months in one-on-one physical therapy sessions and can then ease back into their everyday activities subsequently. However, it can take them up to nine months to get back to their hundred percent.
Can you heal a hip labral tear without surgery?
Simply put, a hip labral tear will not heal without surgical treatment. However, many less severe hip labral tears can be managed for years, sometimes even indefinitely, with nonsurgical treatment.
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 do you fix a torn labrum in the hip?
Hip labral repair may be done using arthroscopic or open surgical methods.Hip arthroscopy is considered a minimally invasive surgery. Special surgical tools and a video camera are inserted through 2 to 4 incisions that are approximately 1 cm long.Open hip surgery requires a single incision 8 cm to 10 cm long.
What happens if a hip labral tear goes untreated?
Complications. 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.
How serious is a torn labrum hip?
A tear in your labrum can cause pain and instability in your hip, damage other tissue and cartilage in your joint, and lead to osteoarthritis over time. You might experience symptoms like: Sharp pain in the front of the hip; Clicking, locking, or a “giving way” sensation in the hip; and.
What do you do for a torn labrum in 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 heal a hip labral tear without surgery?
Simply put, a hip labral tear will not heal without surgical treatment. However, many less severe hip labral tears can be managed for years, sometimes even indefinitely, with nonsurgical treatment.
What is it called when your hip labrum tears?
When the hip's labrum tears, it's called a hip labral tear. Here are some symptoms of a torn hip labrum:
When Should You Get Surgery for a Labral Tear?
Mass General Brigham Sports Medicine patients will be evaluated for conservative treatment options and then a mutual decision will be made on whether surgery is needed. If a patient has a symptomatic hip labral tear , they may notice improvement with nonsurgical treatment. Patients might get a low-dose steroid injection to reduce or alleviate pain followed by physical therapy a few weeks later.
What is the labrum in the hip?
This injury refers to a ring of cartilage —called the labrum—that surrounds the hip joint socket. The labrum helps keep the hips in alignment and protects the hip joint where the ball of your thigh connects with the hip socket. When you have a hip labral tear, that soft elastic tissue tears or detaches from the joint. This can be very painful but some patients don't experience symptoms.
Can hip arthritis cause a labrum tear?
Age plays a part in the degeneration of the labrum, too. If you suffer from hip arthritis, that could lead to a hip labrum tear.
Can a hip labrum tear?
Whether you're a recreational athlete participating in adult hockey, football or soccer, a weekend warrior or a professional athlete, you could be at risk of a torn hip labrum.
Can a soccer player have a hip labral tear?
Certain athletes are at a higher risk of hip labral tear, like soccer, football, hockey and golf players, as well as ballerinas. They might have an injury from a hard hit with another player, or it could be due to repetitive motion.
What is the best way to test for labral tear?
A good clinical examination is always important. As for scanning, plain X-rays are helpful but an MRI scan is the gold standard to show whether a labral tear has occurred. This will also detect if the ball has an extra bump of bone or whether the socket has any problems.
What is a labral tear?
Hip and groin injuries often affect football and rugby players as well as athletes taking part in running sports such as marathons and triathalons. The risks come from the repetitive fast changes in pace of running and a quick change of direction when twisting or pivoting in tackling.
Why does my hip tear?
The labral lip seals the joint for better fluid lubrication. A tear occurs because of a hard tackle or a kick when the joint is in a stressed position . Sometimes the ball of the hip is not completely round but more egg shaped. This extra bony bump can jam up against the round socket, causing a labral tear and pain.
How long does it take to recover from a syringe surgery?
Rehabilitation after surgery starts with 2 to 4 weeks protected weight-bearing. Strengthening exercises take place at 6 to 8 weeks. On average, you’ll be able to return to sport after 12 weeks.
Can you have surgery for a labral tear?
In some cases, rest and changes to your physical activity will improve the symptoms, but sometimes you might need surgery. In this article, skilled consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon Mr Rishi Chana explains what a labral tear is, what symptoms to watch out for, and how it can be treated.
What Is a Labral Tear of the Hip?
The acetabular labrum is a ring of cartilage that lines the rim of your hip socket (acetabulum). It helps to hold the thigh bone securely in the joint, while allowing flexibility and motion. It also cushions the joint and evenly distributes pressure during physical activity.
What is the best way to check for labral tear?
Your doctor can do a physical exam to check your hip’s range of motion and determine where the pain is occurring, but you might need to have other tests done to be sure that the pain is being caused by a labral tear.
What causes labral detachment?
Detachment is when the labrum is pulled away from the rim of the acetabulum and the underlying articular cartilage. Traumatic injuries or conditions like femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) can cause labral detachment.
How long does it take for a labral tear to heal?
Depending on what caused your labral tear and how it is treated, you should be able to return to your normal activities within several months. You may need to continue physical therapy and work with your doctor to prevent your symptoms from reoccurring.
What happens when your hip labrum is pulled away?
This type of damage can include fraying, overall breakdown over a large area, or a cyst forming inside the hip. Detachment is when the labrum is pulled away ...
Where does a labrum tear hurt?
Pain from a labral tear is most often at the front of the hip, near the groin, but could also extend into your thigh or buttocks.
What does it mean when you feel pain after a joint injection?
If your pain is completely gone after receiving the injection, it confirms that a problem in your joint is the source of the pain. If you still feel pain after the injection, it could mean that something else is causing it. X-ray —An X-ray can help your doctor get a better look at the bones in your joint.
How long does it take to heal labrum?
Treatment depends on how severe your symptoms are. Some people recover with conservative treatments in a few weeks ; others need arthroscopic surgery to repair or remove the torn portion of the labrum.
What does a doctor do when you have a hip problem?
During the physical exam, your doctor will move your leg, and especially your hip joint, into various positions to check for pain and evaluate your hip's range of motion. He or she might also watch you walk.
What can a physical therapist do for hip pain?
A physical therapist can teach you exercises to maximize hip range of motion and hip and core strength and stability. Therapists can also teach you to avoid movements that put stress on your hip joint.
Why does my hip hurt?
Hip pain can be caused by problems within the joint or outside the joint. Your doctor might suggest injecting an anesthetic into the joint space. If this relieves your pain, it's likely that your problem is inside your hip joint.
Can labral tear be seen in isolation?
A hip labral tear rarely occurs in isolation. In most cases, other structures within the hip joint also have injuries. X-rays are excellent at visualizing bone. They can check for fractures and for structural abnormalities.
