Your hip joint is the most important in your body and provides stability and mobility as it bears body weight. Its main components are a ball and a socket, which allow for movement in three planes in the lower extremities and absorb shock from the upper body.

As long as it is in good condition, you won’t have any pain in the area, but if you sustain a fall, the hips usually take the brunt of it. When you do experience a fall, make sure to get checked out if you experience any pain. You need your hips working at their full potential. Seek medical help from a family doctor or physiotherapist to regain full mobility and pain-free living. You should also seek a personal injury lawyer to assess your monetary compensation. 

Here are six possible hip injuries from a fall:

Injury #1: Hip Strain

A strain occurs when too much tension on the muscles that support the hips, resulting in an acute injury. The muscles and tendons around the hips extend into the glutes and abdomen, so when you get injured from a fall, there may be a pain in these areas.

You will feel tenderness, swelling, spasms, and bruising, and the pain can intensify with increased activity. This injury will also limit your comfortable range of motion. The best remedy is Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation (RICE) and physiotherapy.

Injury #2: Snapping Hip Syndrom

After falling onto your hip, you may notice a snapping sound from the affected area. There is a tissue called the IT band (iliotibial band) connecting the tibia bone to the hip muscles, and it can make a popping noise as it moves over the bony profusion of the hips. This sensation or sound may be in the back or front of the leg and will include swelling and tightness as you walk or stretch, accompanied by developing pain.

It can sometimes lead to bursitis but is usually treated with ice, stretching exercises, pain medication, and cortisone injections.

Injury #3: Hip Dislocation

The most common injury to the hip when you fall is a dislocation. If excessive force is directed to the femur when there is an impact from a fall, it can dislodge the pelvis. The head of the femur normally sits in a pocket in the pelvis, but the femoral head can pop out with trauma.

There will be immediate pain along with muscle spasms and swelling, and you may lose feeling in the leg or foot and be unable to put weight on it. Depending on the severity, your doctor may be able to manipulate it back in place, or it could require surgery to correct it. Other complications include:

• Sciatic nerve damage
• Avascular necrosis
• Osteoarthritis

Injury #4: Bursitis

Our body has an intricate network of muscles, tendons, ligaments and skin that track along bones. To aid in stopping friction, we have 140 bursae to help with the gliding motion and reduce friction between all these surfaces. Bursae is a fluid-filled sac wedged between bone and tissue, and if it becomes inflamed, you get bursitis.

The hips have two bursae to protect the hips; the trochanter that covers the bony part of the hip bone and the iliopsoas on the groin side of the hip. When you have a hard impact during a fall, they can fill with blood and become irritated and inflamed. Depending on the bursae injured, you will get pain when lying on the affected side or applying pressure. This could be in the buttocks or the hip and thigh. Even doing simple activities will intensify the pain.

Injury #5: Labral Tear

The labrum is a soft tissue that covers the acetabulum or socket of the hip, and it aids in the smooth movement of the ball and a seal between the ball and socket. When it tears from a fall, it separates from the socket and causes pain in the groin, hips and buttocks. You may also notice a reduction in your range of motion and stiffness. Any activity that engages the hips will intensify the pain, and you may also notice a locking sound in the hips as you move.

Osteoarthritis can develop with this injury and even lead to bone spurs.

Injury #6: Hip Fracture

When you fall and injure your hip, it could be serious enough to cause a fracture, This is when the upper portion of the femur breaks, and it is a serious injury that requires surgery and rehabilitation.

When the fracture happens, you will know about it. There will be instant, intense pain in your groin or hip, with swelling and bruising developing around the area. You won’t be able to walk or put any weight on the leg, and you will see that the leg appears shorter and is noticeably displaced. Recovery is hard, especially for the elderly, and it may dramatically affect their lifestyle and independence.