A hip injury refers to damage to any of the structures in the hip, often caused due to injury. The injury may affect the hips bones, muscles, tendons or ligaments that support the hip joint. Common injuries to the hip include hip strain, ship sprain, hip contusion and hip fracture. Soft tissue injuries affecting the hip may include lacerations, stab wounds, puncture wounds and abrasions. Hip injuries are most commonly caused by falls.
A person with a hip injury may experience symptoms depending on the cause, type and severity of the hp injury. Hip fracture symptoms may include severe hip pain that flares up with movement. Additional symptoms may 
include swelling of the hip, hip tenderness, hip bruising, knee pain, limping, difficulty walking, leg weakness, inability to stand or walk and leg numbness.
General treatment for hip injuries often includes resting the hip, cold compresses, elevations and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication for pain and swelling. For hip fractures, surgery may be required to repair damages to the bones in the hip. Complicated or severe hip fractures may require a hip joint replacement in the hip. Additional treatment measures include physical therapy and narcotic pain medication after surgery.
Seek emergency medical help if you see someone being injured to the hip through falls or accidents.
Disclaimer: the material posted on this page on hip injuries and associated risk factors, signs, symptoms and treatment is for learning purposes only. To learn to recognize, manage and help individuals with varying hip injuries sign up for first aid courses with a workplace approved provider.
Risk factors
Risk factors associated with hip injury include:
- Bone cancer
- Bone tumors
- Elderly
- Frequent falling
- Inactivity
- Stroke
- Osteoporosis
- Rickets
- Smoking
Signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms of hip injuries include:
- Bruising of the skin overlying the hip joint
- Hip swelling
- Hip tenderness
- Hip pain
- Worsening pain with movement of the hip
- Stiffness of the hip
Signs and symptoms of severe hip injuries include:
- A sudden, sharp pain to the hop
- Inability move the affected hip joint
- Inability to stand or walk
- Bruising over the buttocks
- Redness of the skin overlying the hip
- Fever of over 101 degrees F or 38.3 C
- Knee pain
- Leg weakness
- Leg numbness
- Worsening symptoms
- Shortening of the leg on the affected side
Seek immediate medical help if any of the above mentioned symptoms occur in a casualty due to hip injuries.
Treatment
Treatment measures for hip injury include:
- General wound care
- Cold compresses for 15-20 minutes, every 2 hours. Avoid applying ice directly to the skin
- Rest – use a walker or crutched to support movement
- Perform hip stretched once pain has resolved
- Surgery for a broken hip
- Hip replacement surgery – replacement of the femoral neck and the femoral head
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication for pain
- Narcotic pain medication for moderate to severe pain for short term use only
- Physical therapy
For wound care, follow these steps:
- Rinse the wound with mild soap and water
- Avoid scrubbing the skin
- Pat dry
- Apply a topical antibiotic ointment to reduce risk of infection
Prevention
Follow these prevention steps to reduce your chances of getting a hip injury:
- Follow an exercise plan designed by your heath care provider
- Get treated for osteoporosis
- Consume a high calcium diet and take calcium supplements
- For poor balance wear padded under that protect the hips and use a walker
- Reduce risk of falling by:
- Anchoring rugs to the floor
- Installing handrails in the halls, stairways and bathrooms
- Reducing clutter on the ground
- Using non-skid mats
- Removing loose wires in your house
- Wear non-slip sole shoes
Learn More
To learn more about hips injuries and other muscular and skeletal injuries sign up for first aid training with a St Mark James training provider.