Hip & Thigh

What It Is

A hip labral tear is damage to the labrum, a rim of tough, rubbery cartilage that lines the edge of the socket in the hip joint. The labrum protects the socket, helps the joint move smoothly and helps hold the ball at the top of the thigh bone (femur) securely in the socket (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). Athletes in sports that put a lot of pressure on the hip, such as hockey, dance, football, soccer, golf and gymnastics, are at higher risk of a tear, especially in sports with repeated pivoting and twisting (Cleveland Clinic, 2023; Groh and Herrera, 2009).

The most common cause is femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), also called hip impingement. This is where the ball and socket don't fit together quite as they should, which puts extra pressure on the labrum until it eventually tears (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).

Symptoms often include pain in the hip or groin (especially when bending, moving or exercising), stiffness, and a clicking, popping or catching feeling in the joint. Some people feel unsteady on the leg, and some small tears cause no symptoms at all (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). Treatment usually starts with physical therapy and pain relief. If symptoms carry on, surgeons can repair the tear using keyhole (arthroscopic) surgery (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).

Labral tears don't just happen as sports injuries though, sometimes they are degenerative and a result of years of wear and tear on the hip joint. A degenerative labral tear will often accompany osteoarthritis of the hip, and depending on the severity of the arthritis, a hip replacement may sometimes be needed (Cleveland Clinic, 2023; Groh and Herrera, 2009).

Hip Labral Tear Anatomy

The hip is a ball and socket joint connecting the thigh bone (femur) to the socket in the pelvis (the acetabulum). It allows the leg to move in many directions. The labrum is a ring of fibrocartilage (a firm, slightly flexible type of cartilage) that runs around the rim of the socket. It deepens the socket and forms a seal around the ball, which adds to the stability of the joint (Groh and Herrera, 2009; Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, 2023). When the labrum is torn, the joint can become painful and may not move as smoothly.

Not a diagnosis — for more information, contact me or another trusted healthcare provider.

Treatment

Self-Care & Treatment

How to Treat a Hip Labral Tear

Treatment usually starts with physical therapy and pain relief (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). Alongside your doctor or physiotherapist, I can help with hands-on work for the muscles around your hip, and with spotting and changing the movements that add stress to the joint. See the My Approach tab for how I work.

1. Medication

Cleveland Clinic says over-the-counter anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen, can relieve pain and reduce inflammation from a hip labral tear, and that you shouldn't take them for more than 10 days in a row without talking to your doctor (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). (This medicine information comes from Cleveland Clinic, not from me. Always check with a pharmacist or your family doctor or nurse practitioner before taking any medicine.) Medication only helps with symptoms for a short time, with therapy being used for longer term results.

2. Therapy

By going to a physical therapist, you will be taught exercises to help maximize range of movement in the hip and improve stability and strength (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). I can coach you through these exercises too. Medication and therapy don't heal the tear itself, but many people manage their symptoms well enough with them that they never need surgery (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).

3. If Symptoms Don't Settle

If you are still in pain after a few months of non-surgical treatment, your doctor may talk to you about surgery (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). See the list below.

Treatments you may want to discuss with your family doctor or nurse practitioner

Options outside my scope

Steroid injection: a doctor may inject a corticosteroid (a prescription anti-inflammatory medicine) into the hip joint to ease pain (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).
Scans: X-ray, ultrasound, MRI or CT scans can help a doctor confirm a labral tear and look for causes such as hip impingement (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).
Hip arthroscopy (keyhole surgery): a surgeon uses a small camera and instruments, inserted through small cuts, to repair the torn labrum or trim away the damaged part, and may reshape the bones if hip impingement is the cause (Cleveland Clinic, 2023; Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, 2023). Your surgical team will explain what recovery involves.

How I can help (see the My Approach tab)

Exercises for hip movement, stability and strength
Hands-on work for the muscles around your hip, low back and thigh
Support for your recovery after surgery, once your surgeon has cleared you

Tips

Common causes of labral tears are athletic injuries, falls, or repeated stress from sports that involve pivoting and twisting (Cleveland Clinic, 2023; Groh and Herrera, 2009).
Proper conditioning and training for muscles that are commonly used and those supporting them can help to reduce the risk of a tear.
For those who participate in activities requiring repeated twisting movements, you are more prone to tears.
Osteoarthritis can wear down the cartilage in the hip enough to tear the labrum (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).
Some people are born with differences in the shape of the hip, such as hip impingement or a shallow socket (hip dysplasia), which can lead to a labral tear (Cleveland Clinic, 2023; Groh and Herrera, 2009).
See a healthcare provider if you have hip pain or stiffness that doesn't get better with rest after a few weeks (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).

Treatment

My Approach

Treatment without surgery doesn't heal the tear itself, but many people manage their symptoms well enough that they never need an operation. Your doctor, and your surgeon if you have one, decide the overall plan, and I work inside it. After keyhole surgery, I need your surgeon's okay before any hands-on treatment, and I follow their limits on movement and weight-bearing.

I start by assessing how your hip moves, which movements bring on the pain or clicking, and the strength of your hip and core muscles.

Without Surgery

Hands-on work for the hip flexors, buttock, thigh and low back, which tighten around a painful hip
Gentle joint mobilisation within a comfortable range
Changing the movements that stress the hip, such as deep squats, pivoting and twisting
Exercises for hip movement, stability and strength, building to gym-based work and a gradual return to sport

After Surgery

Work on the areas that compensate, such as the low back, the other leg and the shoulders if you're on crutches
Gentle lymphatic drainage for swelling, and scar work once the wounds have healed
Easing stiffness and rebuilding strength step by step, within your surgical team's plan

Work on the buttock and hip muscles, or near the groin, is only with your informed consent and a written consent form.

What to Expect

Typical Course

Typical course: Most people come once or twice a week at first, then weekly, with a reassessment at about 4 to 6 weeks, then less often. Without surgery, expect a few months of treatment before your doctor judges whether it's enough; after keyhole surgery, the timeline follows your surgical team's plan, often several months before a full return to sport.

What I Focus On

Working Within Your Team's Plan

Compensation Relief

Hip Mobility

Hip & Core Strength

Scar Care & Return to Sport

Sources

References

Cleveland Clinic (2023) Hip labral tear. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17756-hip-labral-tear (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
Groh, M.M. and Herrera, J. (2009) 'A comprehensive review of hip labral tears', Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine, 2(2), pp. 105–117. doi: 10.1007/s12178-009-9052-9.
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (2023) Hip arthroscopy and labral repair. Available at: https://royalberkshire.nhs.uk/media/4ivngasw/hip-arthroscopy-labral-repair_jul23.pdf (Accessed: 7 October 2026).

Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooHip Labral Tear

What It Is

Hip Labral Tear Anatomy

Self-Care & Treatment

How to Treat a Hip Labral Tear

1. Medication

2. Therapy

3. If Symptoms Don't Settle

Treatments you may want to discuss with your family doctor or nurse practitioner

Tips

My Approach

Without Surgery

After Surgery

Typical Course

References

Related Conditions

Book a session

Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooHip Labral Tear

What It Is

Hip Labral Tear Anatomy

Self-Care & Treatment

How to Treat a Hip Labral Tear

1. Medication

2. Therapy

3. If Symptoms Don't Settle

Treatments you may want to discuss with your family doctor or nurse practitioner

Tips

My Approach

Without Surgery

After Surgery

Typical Course

References

Related Conditions

Hamstring Tendon Rupture

Quadriceps Tendon Tear

Adductor Tear

Adductor Tendinopathy

Book a session