Few people even know what a labrum tear is, let alone how it occurs. It's actually an essential part of the hip.
The acetabular labrum is a small ring of cartilage that surrounds the socket of the hip joint. It makes the socket deeper, thus helping the head of the femur to stay in place and not slip out of joint (sublux).
A labrum tear usually occurs during twisting and weight bearing movements, and is thus common in sports like football and rugby.
There is likely to be immediate pain at the front of the hip, but as with almost all hip injuries, the pain will quickly become diffused and difficult to pinpoint. There may also be a pinching sensation when the knee is brought up to the chest, and pain during activities that require weight bearing and twisting - for example kicking.
Modern diagnostic tools such as CT or MRI scans make it possible to confirm a diagnosis, and the injury can usually be repaired arthroscopically.
Rehabilitation will often involve physiotherapy in a pool to reduce the weight bearing on the joint, with an emphasis on mobilising the hip joint to regain full range of movement.
Progressive muscle strengthening will also be prescribed, with resistance bands a particularly effective tool for these strengthening exercises. It will likely be two to three months before you will be able to return to sports.
