A slip and fall can be very embarrassing. Your first reaction is to hurry up and get up before anyone sees you on the ground, but unfortunately getting up may not be as easy as you think. If you have sustained a major hip injury as a result of the fall, you may find yourself unable to get up without assistance. Even if you are, you may find yourself in more pain as time goes on. Here are two injuries that you may have sustained but that you may not be familiar with.
Hip Pointer
During your fall, if you have landed on, or hit, the top of your iliac crest or hip bone, you may have bruised your transverse and oblique abdominal muscles. If so, you may have sustained a hip pointer bruise. This type of bruise can be very debilitating if the swelling in the area entraps the cluneal nerve, which in turn can cause leg, lower back, and butt pain. If you have simply sustained a hip pointer that does not entrap the nerve, you may still notice a reduction in the range of motion of your hip, along with swelling, bruising and pain in your upper legs.
Although you will require assessment and x-rays by a healthcare professional to ensure that you have not sustained a fracture, there may not be a lot of treatment your doctor will be able to provide. They may suggest R.I.C.E. therapy, or rest, ice, compression and elevation, especially for the first few days. Your physician may suggest a few stretching exercises or a couple weeks of physical therapy after the first few days following your injury. They may prescribe an anti-inflammatory such as naproxen sodium, ibuprofen, or a steroid injection into the joint. Unfortunately, this type of injury can take an extended period of time to completely resolve.
Labral Tear of the Hip Joint
If you are experiencing pain or limited movement in your hip or groin and are hearing or experiencing a clicking or locking of your hip joint, you may have experienced a labral tear of your hip joint. The labrum is the ring of cartilage that lines the socket of your hip joint that your thigh bone sits in. This provides cushioning and support for that joint. A tear can occur from an acute trauma such as a fall, or even twisting of your hip during a fall.
To diagnosis whether or not you have a labral tear, your physician will need to examine your hip area through the use of an MRI scan. Once your condition is confirmed, treatment of your labral tear will be determined by how bad the tear is. Icing and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxxen sodium or ibuprofren may work to help to relieve your pain or reduce swelling in minor or small tears.
If you have a large or major tear, you may require arthroscopic surgery for debridement and repair the torn tissue. Exercises or a rehabilitation program may be prescribed in order for you to regain full mobility, movement, and strength to your hip joint in either case.
No matter what your injuries are, if your slip and fall has been caused by the negligence of others, you should be compensated for the cost you will incur out of your pocket, as well as the time that you may have to spend away from work. Your local slip and fall attorney will be able to help you recover those damages. They will have the knowledge and expertise to maximize the results in your slip and fall case. For more information, visit a website such as http://www.knafo.com.
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