Hip Labrum Tear

Name: Hip Labral Tear
Creator: Prof Paul Lee

The hip labrum is a ring of cartilage that seals and stabilises the hip joint. When it tears, it can cause deep groin pain, clicking, and restricted movement. Understanding the cause and extent of the tear is the first step toward effective treatment.

Reviewed byProf Paul Lee MBBch, FRCS (Tr & Orth), PhDLast reviewed 1 May 2026

Doctor explaining hip anatomy on pelvic model

What causes a hip labral tear?

The most common cause is femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), where abnormal bone shape at the hip creates friction during movement and gradually damages the labrum. Other causes include traumatic injury, hip dysplasia, and degenerative wear.

FAI (cam or pincer type) is the leading cause of labral tears in younger patients.
Sporting activities involving deep hip flexion or rotation increase risk.
Degenerative tears develop gradually as part of broader hip joint wear.

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Symptoms of a hip labral tear

Labral tears can present with a range of symptoms that often overlap with other hip conditions:

Deep groin pain, often worse with prolonged sitting or walking.
Clicking, catching, or locking sensation in the hip.
Stiffness and restricted range of motion, particularly in flexion and rotation.
Pain that worsens during or after exercise and may radiate to the buttock or thigh.

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Treatment at London Cartilage Clinic

Treatment depends on the severity of the tear, associated pathology, and your functional goals. Our hip specialists offer the full range of options from conservative management to arthroscopic repair.

When FAI is present alongside the labral tear, addressing both the bone shape and the labral damage in a single procedure gives the best chance of a lasting result and protects the hip cartilage from further wear.

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You may have more options than you think

Most patients have more treatment options than they have been told

At London Cartilage Clinic we follow a structured clinical framework across four areas of treatment. Before recommending a single procedure, we assess which combination of approaches gives you the best outcome.

Preserve

Protect what you have. Slow degeneration and manage symptoms.

Repair

Fix specific damage. Torn tissue, unstable joints, structural problems.

Regenerate

Rebuild lost tissue. Biological treatments that stimulate new growth.

Replace

When other options are exhausted. Joint replacement as a last resort.

Explore the full range of treatments available for your joint. Each hub page shows every option we offer, organised by clinical approach.

Explore Hip Options

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a hip labral tear heal on its own?

The labrum has a limited blood supply, particularly in the areas most commonly torn. Small tears with mild symptoms may be managed conservatively with physiotherapy and injection therapy, but tears causing mechanical symptoms or instability are unlikely to heal without surgical repair.

How is a hip labral tear diagnosed?

Diagnosis involves clinical examination (specific provocation tests for the hip) combined with MRI arthrogram, which uses contrast dye to improve visualisation of the labrum. Standard MRI without contrast can miss smaller tears.

What happens if a labral tear is left untreated?

A torn labrum disrupts the seal of the hip joint, increasing contact stress on the articular cartilage. Over time, this can accelerate cartilage wear and lead to early-onset hip arthritis, particularly if femoroacetabular impingement is also present.

What treatment options are available?

Treatment ranges from physiotherapy and targeted injection therapy for mild cases to arthroscopic labrum repair for tears causing instability, mechanical symptoms, or progressive cartilage damage. If FAI is present, the impinging bone is corrected at the same time.

Still have more specific concerns?

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