The labrum refers to a ring of cartilage which lines the outer rim of the socket of the hip joint. The labrum has a role in the maintenance of lubrication, shock absorption and stability of the ball within the socket.
Tears of the acetabular labrum are a common cause of pain around the hip joint and often occur in tandem with other abnormalities such as FAI and shallow sockets (developmental dysplasia of the hip).
Patients often experience symptoms such as clicking, catching, locking and giving way. Often, the pain associated with a labral tear will present at the front of the hip and may radiate into the groin.
Labral tears can be diagnosed by MRI or an enhanced MRA scan where a special dye is injected into the joint (MR Arthrogram).
| For further information on Labral tears of the hip please contact infossc@upmc.ie |
