Causes of a Dislocated Hip Injury and Recovery

A dislocated hip is when the head, or ball, of the hip joint comes out of the socket. If the hip is only partially dislocated, it's called hip subluxation. When this happens, the ball of the hip joint only comes part way out of the socket.

A dislocated hip is an uncommon injury. It usually happens after a severe trauma, including motor vehicle collisions, falls from a height, and sometimes major sports injuries.

A dislocated hip can also occur as a complication of hip replacement surgery. Because an artificial hip is different from a normal hip joint, dislocation after joint replacement is a possible risk of surgery.

This article looks at the causes of a dislocated hip and some of the treatment options for this condition.

Hip Anatomy and Alignment

Your hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint called the femoroacetabular joint. The socket of your hip joint is called the acetabulum. The ball, or femoral head, is at the top of your thigh bone, also called the femur.

Hip dislocations are unusual because the ball is held deeply within your hip socket. By contrast, the ball in your shoulder joint sits in a shallow socket. This is one reason why shoulder dislocations are very common, while hip dislocations are less common.

The bony anatomy of your hip creates a stable joint. Your body also has strong ligaments, many muscles, and tendons that contribute to the stability of the hip joint. For a hip dislocation to occur, significant force must be applied to the joint.

Some people feel a snapping sensation of the hip. This isn't usually hip dislocation. Instead, the sensation indicates a different problem called snapping hip syndrome.

Posterior Hip Dislocation

Up to 90% of all hip dislocations are posterior. In this type of injury, the ball is pushed backward out of the socket. Posterior dislocations sometimes result in injuries to the sciatic nerve.

Anterior Hip Dislocation

Anterior dislocations are much less common. In this type of injury, the femoral head is pushed forward out of the socket. 

Hip Subluxation

A hip subluxation is when the ball of the hip joint started to come out of the socket, but did not do so fully. A hip subluxation, also known as a partial dislocation, can turn into a fully dislocated hip joint if not allowed to heal properly.

Dislocated Hip Symptoms

When you have a dislocated hip, your symptoms will include:

• Severe hip pain
• Difficulty moving
• Inability to bear weight

Your leg will be in an abnormal position as a result of the dislocation. With a posterior dislocation, your knee and foot will be rotated towards the midline of your body. With an anterior dislocation, your knee and foot will be rotated away from the midline.

Causes of Hip Dislocation

A hip dislocation causes damage to the structures that hold the ball in the socket. This can include:

• Fractures of the bone at the hip joint
• Tears in the labrum and ligaments of the hip
• Cartilage damage to the joint

Injury to the vessels that supply blood to the bone can later lead to a condition called avascular necrosis or osteonecrosis of the hip.

A hip dislocation increases the risk of developing arthritis of the joint over the months and years that follow the injury. It can also raise the risk of needing a hip replacement later in life. The extent of cartilage damage will ultimately determine the likelihood of developing future problems.

People with a hip subluxation may have many of the same complications as those with a hip dislocation. Over time, these individuals are just as liable to develop hip labral tears, osteonecrosis, and hip arthritis.

Developmental Dislocation of the Hip (DDH)

Some children are born with a condition called developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH). Children with DDH have hip joints that did not form normally during development. This causes a loose fit of the ball in the socket.

In some cases of DDH, the hip joint is completely dislocated. In others, it's prone to becoming dislocated. In milder cases, the joint is loose but not prone to dislocation.

Treatment Options

The most important way a dislocated hip is treated is with a joint reduction. This is a procedure that positions the ball back into the socket. It is usually done with sedation or under general anesthesia.

While you may be able to reposition your own shoulder dislocation, this is not usually possible with a hip dislocation. Repositioning a hip dislocation usually requires significant force. In some cases, surgery is necessary to return the joint to its normal position.

Once the ball is back in the socket, your healthcare provider will look for injuries to the bone, cartilage, and ligaments. Depending on what your healthcare provider finds, further treatment may be necessary.

Broken bones, for example, may need to be repaired in order to keep the ball within the socket. Damaged cartilage may have to be removed from the joint.

Surgery

Hip arthroscopy can minimize the invasiveness of certain procedures that are used to treat this type of injury. During this procedure, a surgeon inserts a tiny camera into your hip joint. The camera helps the surgeon make repairs using instruments inserted through other small incisions.

It is common to develop early arthritis of the hip after this type of trauma. This is why many people who have a hip dislocation ultimately need hip replacement surgery.

Hip replacement surgery replaces the ball and socket of the damaged hip joint. This surgery may be performed for many reasons, including trauma or arthritis.

Hip replacement is among the most common and most successful orthopedic surgeries. Still, it is a major surgical procedure and is not without risk. Some possible complications include:

• Infection
• Aseptic loosening (the loosening of the joint without infection)
• Hip dislocation
  

Hip Dislocation Recovery

Early into your recovery, you will need to walk with the help of crutches or other devices. Physical therapy can help improve your range of motion and strengthen the muscles around your hip. 

Your recovery time will depend on if you had other injuries such as fractures or tears. If your hip joint was reduced and there were no other injuries, it may take six to 10 weeks to recover to the point where you can put weight on your leg. It may be between two and three months before you are fully recovered. If you had any additional injuries, your recovery may take longer. 

Summary

A hip dislocation can happen as a result of trauma or following hip replacement surgery. Other injuries like ligament tears, bone fractures, and cartilage damage can occur along with the dislocation.

Most hip dislocations are treated with joint reduction. This is a procedure that puts the ball back into the socket. It is usually done with sedation or under general anesthesia.

Recovering from a hip dislocation takes time. It may be a few months before you are fully recovered. Physical therapy can help you regain motion and strength in your hip.

A Word From Verywell

A hip dislocation or subluxation is a potentially devastating injury. It can lead to both short-term and long-term problems with the hip joint. People who sustain a hip dislocation typically require sedation or general anesthesia and sometimes surgery in order for the hip joint to be put back in place.

After a hip dislocation, it is important to ensure the joint is stable and there are no other injuries to the surrounding bone. If there are, surgical intervention may be necessary.

People who have had a dislocated hip are at high risk for developing complications like osteonecrosis and arthritis of the hip joint. Ultimately, hip replacement may become necessary if there was long-term damage to the hip joint.