First Lady Michelle Obama shares tips on parenting with moms and other audience members in a WebMD Town Hall meeting in Miami, Florida.
Information and Resources
Acetabular Labral Tear
What Is a Hip (Acetabular) Labral Tear ?
A hip (acetabular) labral tear is damage to cartilage and tissue in the hip socket. In some cases, it causes no symptoms. In others it causes pain in the groin. It can make you feel like your leg is "catching" or "clicking" in the socket as you move it. Over time, labral tears in the hip may cause permanent damage to the joint.
The labrum is a band of tough cartilage and connective tissue that lines the rim of the hip socket, or acetabulum. It cushions the joint of the hip bone, preventing the bones from directly rubbing against each other. The labrum also helps keep the leg bone in place and increases stability of the joint.
Understanding Dislocation -- Symptoms
When a joint becomes dislocated, you can usually tell by looking at the joint that it's not right. The joint will look deformed compared to the same joint on the opposite side. You may see an indention or a bulge near or in the socket. There is also severe pain and loss of function of that part of the shoulder, arm, or leg. In many cases, the force of the injury stretches or tears the ligaments that hold the bone inside the joint and the bone is no longer seated properly in the joint. Often, there...
Read the Understanding Dislocation -- Symptoms article > >
The labrum can tear for many reasons. Some people get a torn labrum from falls or car accidents. Sports that require regular rotation of the hip -- like golf, soccer, hockey, and ballet -- increase the risk. So do running and sprinting.
But almost 75% cases of torn acetabular labrum have no known direct cause. Instead, these tears may develop gradually. Labral tears in the hip have been linked to osteoarthritis. However, it's not clear if they contribute to its development or are a symptom of it.
Labral tears of the hip are more common in women. They also occur more often in people who have abnormalities of the hip structure, like hip dysplasia and other conditions.
In recent years, experts have found that acetabular labral tears are much more common than once thought. Studies show that up to 22% of athletes who complain of groin pain have a labral tear in the hip.
WebMD Medical Reference
Reviewed by
Aimee V Hachigian-Gould, MD on February 17, 2010
© 2010 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Top 12 Health Topics-
1.
-
2.
-
3.
-
4.
-
5.
-
6.
-
7.
-
8.
-
9.
-
10.
-
11.
-
12.
Top 12 Videos-
1.
-
2.
-
3.
-
4.
-
5.
-
6.
-
7.
-
8.
-
9.
-
10.
-
11.
-
12.
Hot Topics
- Which Drugstore Tooth Whiteners Work Best?
- Kids' Top 6 Worries and How to Fix Them
- Surprising Headache Triggers
- Safe Ways to Lose Weight Fast
- Counting Carbs When You Use Insulin
- Fibromyalgia: Symptoms and Treatments
- CML: How It Affects Your Body
- 6 Sex Mistakes Men Make
- Dupuytren's Contracture: What You Need to Know
- Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
WebMD Video: Now Playing
FROM CBS NEWS
Nerve transfer gives quadriplegic hand function
71-year-old former quadriplegic is now able to feed himself and write basic items with his left hand
More from CBS News:
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Advertise With Us|WebMD Corporate|Medscape Reference|eMedicineHealth|RxList|Medscape|MedicineNet|BootsWebMD
©2005-2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.