eMedicine Specialties > Sports Medicine > Hip

Hip Pointer: Follow-up

Author: John M Martinez, MD, Medical Director, Primary Care Sports Medicine, Coastal Sports and Wellness Medical Center
Coauthor(s): Kenneth Honsik, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Primary Care Sports Medicine, Kaiser Permanente
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Mar 6, 2009

Follow-up

Return to Play

Patients with hip pointer injuries may return to play once pain and swelling allow return to normal or near-normal function. Padding over the affected area may help protect the area from reinjury.

Complications

Complications include hematoma formation, which may lead to myositis ossificans and scar-tissue formation. Additionally, inflammation and continued pain may result in chronic bursitis.

Prevention

Prevention of hip pointers may be difficult, but extra padding and protection over the iliac crest in football and hockey players may decrease the frequency and severity of injury.

Prognosis

The prognosis is usually very good, and the athlete with a hip pointer injury can usually return to normal participation in 1-3 weeks, depending upon the extent of the injury.

Education

Education should include an explanation of the injury and advice on treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of future hip pointer injuries.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Medicolegal pitfalls include failure to diagnose a fracture or avulsion of the iliac crest and failure to diagnose an intra-abdominal injury (eg, splenic rupture, soft-tissue tumor).
  • Other pitfalls include improper or limited rehabilitation, which could result in scar-tissue formation, myositis ossificans, and limited ROM.
 


More on Hip Pointer

Overview: Hip Pointer
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Hip Pointer
Treatment & Medication: Hip Pointer
Follow-up: Hip Pointer
References
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References

  1. Winfield C. Common hip injuries. In: Sallis RE, Massimino, eds. ACSM's Essentials of Sports Medicine. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 1991:440-1.

  2. Ruane JJ, Rossi TA. When groin pain is more than "just a strain": navigating a broad differential. Phys Sportsmed. 1998;26(4):78-103. [Full Text].

  3. Meyers WC, Ricciardi R, Busconi BD, et al. Groin pain in athletes. In: Ardent EA, ed. Orthopaedics Knowledge Update: Sports Medicine 2. Rosemont, Ill: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; 1999:281-9.

  4. Borowski LA, Yard EE, Fields SK, Comstock RD. The epidemiology of US high school basketball injuries, 2005-2007. Am J Sports Med. Dec 2008;36(12):2328-35. [Medline].

  5. Hubbard TJ, Denegar CR. Does cryotherapy improve outcomes with soft tissue injury?. J Athl Train. Sep 2004;39(3):278-9. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  6. Adkins SB 3rd, Figler RA. Hip pain in athletes. Am Fam Physician. Apr 1 2000;61(7):2109-18. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  7. Anderson K, Strickland SM, Warren R. Hip and groin injuries in athletes. Am J Sports Med. Jul-Aug 2001;29(4):521-33. [Medline].

  8. DeLee JC, Farney WC. Incidence of injury in Texas high school football. Am J Sports Med. Sep-Oct 1992;20(5):575-80. [Medline].

  9. Feeley BT, Powell JW, Muller MS, et al. Hip injuries and labral tears in the National Football League. Am J Sports Med. Nov 2008;36(11):2187-95. [Medline].

  10. Gomez E, DeLee JC, Farney WC. Incidence of injury in Texas girls' high school basketball. Am J Sports Med. Sep-Oct 1996;24(5):684-7. [Medline].

  11. Schmitt KU, Nusser M, Boesiger P. [Hip injuries in professional and amateur soccer goalkeepers] [German]. Sportverletz Sportschaden. Sep 2008;22(3):159-63. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

hip pointer, hip pain, hip injury, hip bruise, hip trauma, iliac crest contusion, groin injury, contact sports, football, hockey, soccer, skiing, volleyball, high school athletic injuries, anterior iliac crest region, greater trochanteric region, femur, sartorius, tensor fascia lata, obliques, rectus femoris muscle, range of motion, ROM, ROM exercises

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

John M Martinez, MD, Medical Director, Primary Care Sports Medicine, Coastal Sports and Wellness Medical Center
John M Martinez, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, and American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Kenneth Honsik, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Primary Care Sports Medicine, Kaiser Permanente
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Leslie Milne, MD, Assistant Clinical Instructor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Harvard University School of Medicine
Leslie Milne, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Sports Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Russell D White, MD, Professor of Medicine, Department of Community and Family Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Truman Medical Center Lakewood
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Jon B Whitehurst, MD, Clinical Instructor of Surgery, University of Illinois College of Medicine; Partner and Executive Board Member, Rockford Orthopedic Associates; Orthopedic Chairman, Rockford Memorial Hospital
Jon B Whitehurst, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and Arthroscopy Association of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Sherwin SW Ho, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Section of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Chicago
Sherwin SW Ho, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and Arthroscopy Association of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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