Hip Pointer : Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Recovery Period

A hip pointer is a condition of bruise that occurs at the upper part of the hip

A hip pointer is an injury that results from a direct impact to the hip bone i.e. iliac crest and greater trochanter or the bony protusion at the top of the femur.

Signs and Symptoms of Hip Pointer

  • Pain is experienced while performing activity.
  • Swelling.
  • Severe pain.
  • Tenderness.
  • Muscle spasms.
  • Reduced range of motion.
  • Bruising.
  • Soreness.

Causes and Risk Factors of Hip Pointer

  • When a helmet mistakenly hits into the bone on the outer side of the hip, due to a hard hit to the ground, and in contact sports like hockey, basketball, football and soccer.
  • Direct blow to the iliac crest.
  • Negligence in wearing hip pads while performing contact sports as being an athlete extensively increases the chances of meeting with this type of injury.

Treatment for Hip Pointer

  • Rest.
  • Cold therapy for pain.
  • Avoiding activities that aggravate the symptoms.
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen, aspirin, Celebrex and naproxen.
  • Corticosteroid injections where the medication is injected directly into the hip are also used in case of severe pain.
  • Sports massage to help reduce swelling, prevent scar tissue formation and loosen up the muscle fibers.
  • Aspiration may also help in case of hematoma.

Recovery Period

Hip Pointer is not a career ending injury. The injury may take several days to weeks to heal, however the patient usually recovers completely.

Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:August 29, 2019

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