Hip Cartilage Rupture: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Rupture of the cartilage of the hip is a fairly common problem for professional athletes such as ballet dancers, football players and hockey players.

The cartilage ring or labrum of the hip is between the femur and the hip. It aligns the outer edge of the connector in question. In this way, it helps to keep the longest bone in the body in its natural position.

This injury is common and severe. It often requires surgery. In today’s article, we’ll tell you what you need to know about hip cartilage ring rupture and how to prevent it.

What is a rupture of the cartilage of the hip?

At the edge of the femur, in the labrum, is cartilage tissue. As the Sports Medicine Oregon article points out, this structure increases joint stability.

A rupture of the cartilage of the hip is damage to the cartilage tissue and then it stops working as it should. The femoral head loses some of its support as a result.

There are many causes, both acute and chronic. For example, it may be due to femoroacetabular injury or osteoarthritis. As mentioned above, it is quite common in athletes.

Symptoms

Fractures of the cartilage of the hip are sometimes asymptomatic. However, experts at the Mayo Clinic point out that usually a patient still experiences some sort of symptoms. For example, there may be pain in the hip that extends to the groin.

This pain is exacerbated by walking or sitting or standing for long periods of time. Some people experience stiffness in the hip joint because they have poor trajectory.

The joint may also wrinkle with certain foot movements or appear locked. The problem is that a rupture can lead to complications if left untreated. In fact, it increases the likelihood of osteoarthritis over time.

Causes of hip cartilage rupture

As we have already pointed out, rupture of the cartilage of the hip is more common in athletes. However, its emergence can also be influenced by many other factors.

It is common in physical activities based on repetitive movements of the hip joint. This is because these types of movements can gradually wear out the joint.

Sports such as golf, hockey, and other tactile sports such as football often lead to a tear in the labrum, making them a risk factor.

According to an article by a specialist surgical hospital, this condition may be due to structural abnormalities. Some related diseases are osteoarthritis and femoroacetabular injury.

The latter consists of abnormal abrasion between the femoral head and the pelvic plug. Therefore, it may be due to either femoral deformity or acetabulum deformity. The problem is that such a deformation consumes the labrum faster.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing a ruptured hip cartilage ring can be complicated. Therefore, it is essential that your doctor do a proper examination of your joint. He will probably have to move his leg in different positions to make the correct diagnosis.

Certain additional tests, such as x-rays, are usually necessary to rule out other injuries. This is because the image allows a fracture or other abnormality to be found. It is especially useful if a person experienced an attack or was in an accident.

However, X-rays do not show soft tissue damage, so your doctor will occasionally have to resort to magnetic resonance imaging.

Treatment of cartilage ring rupture

A rupture of the labrum is difficult to treat, and while a medical or physiotherapeutic approach is helpful in mild ruptures, it may require surgery.

Certain procedures are usually recommended in all cases, regardless of whether the patient needs surgical treatment or not. One of them is weight loss if needed. The goal is to reduce overload in the hip joint.

In the case of professional athletes, exercise habits need to be changed. The attending physician will likely advise them to reduce the intensity or try alternative forms of exercise.

Non-surgical approaches

Medical treatment aims to relieve pain and reduce the inflammation caused by this injury. Therefore, doctors usually prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Ibuprofen or naproxen are commonly prescribed, although some cases may require corticosteroid infiltrations.

Physiotherapy is one of the cornerstones of treatment and must be done by an expert in the field. The idea is to help the person restore the joint’s range of motion with special exercises.

It also tends to increase strength and stretch to make the hip more stable during physical activity.

Surgical treatment

Surgery is usually one of the best options for treating severe ruptures. It is especially useful when non-surgical treatments have failed, i.e. when a person is unable to regain mobility and suffers from painful medications despite physiotherapy.

According to a publication by Cleveland Clinic, surgery of the cartilage of the hip is performed by arthroscopy. It is a minimally invasive technique performed with small incisions through which the necessary tools can be put in place to repair the injury.

Arthroscopy is performed in an outpatient setting and most patients can go home on the same day. This procedure is minimally invasive, but involves risks such as bleeding, infection, or nerve damage.

Prevention of rupture of the cartilage of the hip

Recovery after a rupture is not easy. Rehabilitation time varies depending on the severity of the injury. A person will probably need crutches for a few weeks, even after surgery.

Some patients do not fully recover even within months, so we must do everything we can to prevent such injuries. Leg and pelvic strength and flexibility exercises are excellent for this purpose.