This problem affects 33% of patients with hip pain, especially footballers or gymnasts. The labrum deepens the acetabular cavity. With its damage, the patient may have the impression of clicking inside the joint. Most often, it coexists with hip dysplasia or injuries. A damaged labrum can be partially cut or sewn into place when it is torn off.
SYMPTOMS
If the labrum is damaged, you may feel the impression of clicking inside the joint or blocking. The primary symptom is pain (dull, diffuse, sometimes sharp) located in the groin or within it. Discomfort may be aggravated during prolonged standing, sitting, walking, and in the case of athletes during physical activity. In addition, hip mobility is reduced and its function is limited. The rare symptom (associated with weakening of the hip abduction muscles) includes the appearance of the Trendelenburg symptom. It is characterized by pelvic descent on the opposite side to the diseased joint.
CAUSES OF THE ACETABULAR LABRAL TEAR
Most often it coexists with hip dysplasia, labial hypertrophy or injuries. Anatomical disorders often cause a femroacetabular impingment (FAI). As a result, bone tissue develops, which at the moment of flexion, rotation or pressure leads to destruction of the labrum. Injuries that cause damage to the labrum are primarily sudden hip sprains, heavy stomping, microtrauma – the result of accumulating overloads. Damage of this type often occurs in long-distance runners, footballers and people who train gymnastics or acrobatics.
TREATMENT METHODS
In the event of damage to the labrum of the acetabulum, conservative or surgical treatment is applied. The first of these involves stopping or limiting physical activity, as well as implementing anti-inflammatory and analgesic means (analgesics available on the market, ice packs). When the patient feels improvement and the acute pain passes, rehabilitation exercises are introduced. Their goal is to reduce biomechanical disorders and increase the range of motion. This is achieved by using muscle strengthening exercises, loosening soft tissue in the hip area, manual therapy and stretching exercises. The rehabilitation process should last about 4-6 weeks.
If conservative treatment does not bring results, the patient should undergo surgery. It involves repairing the damaged structure using one of two methods: arthroscopy or open surgery. As in the case of conservative treatment, after recovery period patient should start rehabilitation, which lasts about 10-12 weeks.