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.