Are You Suffering From Hip Pain After a Car Accident?
Hip pain could be a sign of a variety of injuries, including everything from dislocations to broken bones. Whatever the specific nature of the injury, hip pain and accompanying symptoms tend to be particularly debilitating for accident victims, limiting their mobility and making it a lot harder to perform day-to-day tasks. Read on to learn more about car accident-related hip pain and your recovery options following such an injury.
Common Hip Injuries
The hip is a weight-bearing ball-and-socket joint that provides stability and allows mobility in the lower half of the body. The socket part of the hip joint is located inside the pelvis, while the ball portion rests on the top of the femur. Because it is one of the most stable joints in the body and is responsible for bearing much of a person’s body weight, any injury to this area is usually painful and debilitating. In a car accident scenario, pain in the hip could be the result of injury to the bone, muscles, tendons, or the fluid-filled sacs that lubricate the joint itself. Common hip injuries resulting from car accidents include:
- Fractures, with the force of a collision breaking one or more of the three sections of the hip, causing severe instability;
- Dislocations, which can occur when the ball portion of the joint pops out of the socket, causing significant pain and immobility;
- Labral tears, which occur when the labrum (a soft tissue located in the hip socket) is damaged, interfering with the smooth movement of the thigh bone in the hip joint;
- Bursitis, in which the fluid-filled sacs that cushion the hip joint become inflamed upon impact;
- Tendonitis, which can occur when the tendons and ligaments that support the muscles and bones become inflamed, causing significant pain; and
- Ligament strains and sprains, which can happen when the ligaments in the hip area are overstretched or even torn, causing instability in the joint.
Because the hips are so crucial to stability and mobility, injuries to these areas usually present themselves right away, which means that accident victims can obtain a diagnosis and begin treatment immediately.
The Symptoms of a Hip Injury
There are a lot of different symptoms that could indicate that a person is suffering from a car accident-related hip injury, but the most common are:
- Loss of movement, which is usually indicative of a fracture, dislocation, or nerve damage;
- Loss of strength, with a weakening of the muscles and reducing of functionality and strength;
- Intense pain, especially during movement, and could be the result of a break, soft tissue injury, or compression of the nerves;
- Restriction of movement in the hip joint, usually the result of a dislocation or fracture;
- Limping when attempting to put weight on the hips, legs, or feet;
- Swelling from inflammation and fluid accumulation, causing discomfort and restricted movement; and
- Bruising, which could be indicative of deeper tissue damage.
If you recognize any of these symptoms after suffering a blunt force impact in a car crash, you may have sustained a serious injury and should obtain medical care right away. Those who fail to take this step could end up suffering from long-term hip problems, including chronic pain, and degenerative joint disease.
Recovering Compensation for Your Hip Injury
To speak with an experienced Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer about your legal options following a crash for which you weren’t at fault, please call Boone & Davis today.
Sources:
hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/hip-problems
medlineplus.gov/hipinjuriesanddisorders.html
