Definition of Hip Dislocation

A hip dislocation occurs when the femoral head--the ball portion of the hip joint--leaves the pelvic socket. The condition is quite painful and leaves the leg immobilized.

Types

• Hip dislocations can be anterior, meaning the hip dislocates in a forward direction, or posterior, meaning it dislocates in a backwards direction. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) reports that 90 percent of dislocations are posterior.

Causes

• It requires significant force to cause a hip dislocation. Common causes include automotive accidents, falling, and industrial or sports accidents.

Symptoms

• In addition to pain, a hip dislocation can cause numbness of the leg if there is nerve pressure or damage. Aurora Health Care reports that other symptoms may include the hip joint appearing distorted and the leg of the dislocated hip appearing shorter.

Diagnosis

• Hip dislocations are visibly apparent and diagnosed by visual examination. According to the AAOS, an x-ray or computerized tomography (CT) scan is frequently used to assess if there is other damage to the bones.

Treatment

• Aurora Health Care notes that the primary treatment for a hip dislocation is to manually or surgically place the femoral head back into the pelvic socket. These procedures are generally done with either local or general anesthetics.