Perthes Disease
Perthes disease is a condition that affects children, between the ages of 2-16. It involves a loss of blood flow to the femoral head, resulting in the necrosis, or death, of the bone tissue.
This will cause pain around the hip, groin or even into the knee. You may notice that your child walks with a limp or is avoiding certain activities because of pain. It is critical that your child’s hip pain is assessed by a health professional in order to rule out Perthes Disease.
Labral Tear in the Hip
The hip is a very stable joint in the body. This is partially because of how deep the socket is, but also because of the labrum that surrounds the edge of the acetabulum.
The labrum creates a negative-pressure seal inside the joint and adds further depth to the socket. The labrum can be damaged or torn when placed under stress or impacted by joint movement. This can cause pain and, in certain cases, a decreased stability in the hip joint itself.
Hip Bursitis
Bursae are used all over the body as a way to reduce the friction or rubbing between various different structures in the body. They are generally a small, fluid-filled sac that is located between a tendon and a bone.
In the hip the Trochanteric Bursa is located between the gluteal tendon insertions and the greater trochanter (the bony point, on the outside of your hip). When the bursa is inflamed and irritated it can cause pain on certain hip movements.
FAQ
Is my hip pain serious?
In most cases, your hip pain will improve with conservative management and won’t require surgery or be long-lasting. Most hip pain conditions have a gradual onset and aren’t caused by significant trauma or structural damage in the hip joint. In these common cases, your physiotherapist will be able to guide you through an appropriate treatment plan. In the case of significant trauma or pain, further investigation or surgical intervention may be required.
Do I need a scan for my hip pain?
In most cases, no. Your physiotherapist will be able to guide you on whether a scan is required after going through a thorough assessment of your hip pain. Generally, you would require a scan in order to rule out any medical cause or structural damage to your hip. Your physiotherapist can create a referral for you to get this if it is required. If you have already had scan, feel free to bring them in and your physiotherapist can go through them with you.
Will my hip pain go away?
Most likely, yes. A large majority of hip injuries and pains will be able to be resolved with conservative management. It is expected that considerable improvement will be seen within 12 weeks in most cases. Even if surgery is required, or the injury is more structural, it is very possible to significantly or completely decrease pain levels with the appropriate treatment plan.