Why you need physical therapy for a hip labral tear

Pain in the hip or groin that gets worse by lots of standing, walking or sitting. Clicking sounds when you move your hip. Increased hip stiffness. These are all symptoms that you can experience when you have a hip labral tear. 

The labrum is a ring of cartilage found in both the shoulder and hip. In the hip, this structure helps to cushion the hip joint and helps hold it in place. Hip labral tears are far more common than some people might think; one study reports that almost 39% of the patients surveyed had this injury. 

Surgery is an option that’s often used to treat a hip labral tear. However, physical therapy can also be used as a treatment option when the tear is minor. 

Three ways physical therapy can help people with hip labral tears

Physical therapists are experts at helping people with many musculoskeletal disorders, including hip labral tears. Your physical therapist can evaluate your hip to determine the most effective treatment options for you. They can also build you an individualized treatment plan, which offers three specific benefits:

1. Decreased pain — It can be hard to reduce pain caused by a hip labral tear. Often, people aren’t sure which moves will make their pain worse and which can help decrease it. A physical therapist can help you learn the movements that place stress on your hip joints. They can also teach you ways to modify normal daily activities while also reducing stress on your hips, which can help decrease your pain. 

2. Improved range of motion — Hip labral tears often lead to stiffness in your hip joint. Your physical therapist can help you find techniques designed to improve your hip range of motion (ROM). One option they can use is manual therapy, which can significantly improve ROM. A medical study on patients with hip labral tears reveals that manual therapy helped improve hip function scores by 44 points in 12 sessions. 

3. Faster recovery if you do need surgery — In some cases, your injury might require surgery. But that doesn’t mean physical therapy can’t benefit you. Physical therapists can help prepare the hip for the rigors of surgery with pre-surgical rehab. In addition, they can help you recover strength and function after surgery with post-surgical rehab. The combination of these two types of rehab can lead to a faster recovery from surgery. 

Find help for your hip labral tear at Advent Physical Therapy

Ready to find effective help for a hip labral tear? Our Advent Physical Therapy team is primed to help you get the top-notch therapeutic care you need. Our specialists offer complimentary screenings that can confirm you have a hip labral tear. They can also build you a personalized therapy plan designed to reduce your pain, and our plans can even help you prepare for and recover from a hip surgery. 

Not able to come to one of our clinics for help? No worries! Our team offers several therapy services that allow you to get care from home, including virtual therapy and at-home care sessions. We can even get you started with your physical therapy if you don’t have a doctor’s referral. 

Contact our team today for more information about how we can help with your hip issues or to schedule an initial appointment.