A hip pointer is a very painful condition. It could be put you out for a long time if the sport you play requires you to use your legs a lot. A hip pointer can be very painful. The injury can limit your movement, this could prevent you from being fully functional even in your day to day activities.
In this article, we will be discussing with you everything you need to know about it – what exactly it is, the causes, the signs and symptoms and how to go about treating this condition.
What Is a Hip Pointer?
A hip pointer is an injury of the soft tissue at the top of the hip bone (the iliac crest) or across the hip bone (the greater trochanter) as a result of a direct force to the hips. A hip pointer is usually characterized by a bruise found on the skin above the hip bone.
Sometimes, this type of injury is accompanied by a fracture of a portion of the hip bone. The chance of having a fractured hip alongside a hip pointer depends on the intensity of the force that is responsible for the trauma.
A hip pointer bruise can cause bleeding into the muscles of the hips which are responsible for moving the legs sideways; this can result in swelling of the hips or painful movement of the legs since the movement of the legs originate from the hip joint.
What Causes a Hip Pointer Injury?
Hip pointer usually occurs commonly in sports where the athletes are required to be in constant contact with one another such as- baseball, football, rugby, basketball, field hockey, volleyball, etc.
The common causes of the hip pointer are:
- A direct force to the hips from a tackle in contact sports
- A fall on the hip while coming down after being tackled
- A direct force to the hips from an opponent’s knee or elbow
- Sports that involve crashes like skiing or snowboarding.
How Do You Know If You Get One?
The signs and symptoms to look out for when you suspect a hip pointer include the following:
- Sudden pain following a direct blow to your hip.
- Pain that gets worse when you run, jump, twist or bend.
- Bruising or swelling of the hips.
- Reduction in the range of motion that you can make with your hip joint.
- Inability to walk properly due to hip pain.
How Is Hip Pointer Diagnosed?
A hip pointer is usually diagnosed clinically. The Doctor takes your history and physically examines you. Your healthcare provider may also request for specific radiological investigations to check for fractures.
The Doctor may also request for an Ultrasound test to check for the amount of bleeding into the hip muscles that may have occurred.
What To Do If You Have The Injury
After you have been diagnosed by a Doctor the next steps can vary. He may choose to treat you immediately or refer you to a specialist Orthopedic Surgeon. The choice will depend on how severe your injury is.
Some or all of the following treatment methods may also be applied:
- Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (RICE)
- Use of painkillers such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Physical therapy
- Treatment from other holistic options
Find A Professional With 9INE POINT Health For Your Hip Pointer Injury
9INE POINT Health lets you search for the best local sports medicine providers. 9INE POINT Health is unique because you can search by provider type and for different skill sets. For Example, you can search for a massage therapist that also is certified in Active Release Technique. 9INE POINTHealth makes it easy for you to find the right professional for your needs by giving every provider a 9INE POINT Number.
KHO Health was acquired by was acquire by 9INE POINT in the summer of 2019 and is now referred to as 9INE POINT Health.
9INE POINT Health was created by 9INE POINT in '19 as a means to provide athlete-driven resources to "Protect Athletes' Minds, Body and Belly". As well as be a platform for healthcare providers and other specialists to display their knowledge.
