Hip Injuries in the Contact Athlete

Abstract

Despite being relatively uncommon when compared to injuries to the ankle and knee, hip injuries in the contact athlete account for 5%-6% of all athletic-related injuries with increasing prevalence over the last decade. Athletic hip injuries represent a spectrum of often overlapping intra- and extra-articular disorders with the potential to cause significant disability and time lost from sport. Advancements in imaging modalities, arthroscopic instrumentation, and surgical techniques have improved diagnostic capabilities and treatment outcomes of athletic hip injuries. Furthermore, increased screening and better recognition of the role of femoroacetabular impingement on the development of intra-articular hip pathology and instability has provided physicians with a treatable risk factor deterring further hip disorders. This chapter provides physicians with a brief overview of commonly encounter hip injuries in the contact athlete, namely: muscle strains, contusion, labral injuries, and hip instability secondary to dislocation or subluxation in the setting of femoroacetabular impingement, as well as the previously described “sports hip triad.”