Traumatic Hip Instability

Traumatic hip instability is a relatively rare phenomenon related primarily to the inherent anatomical stability of the hip joint. As this clinical condition can go unrecognized, it can be a source of significant disability. Hip instability causes pain with possible joint unsteadiness due to extraphysiological hip motion. Although instability can arise from an atraumatic etiology, a traumatic event often causes the presenting injury. Traumatic hip instability can present as a spectrum from subluxation to frank dislocation with associated bony or soft tissue injuries. Recently, hip arthroscopy has gained popularity as both a diagnostic and a therapeutic tool in treating hip pathology, including the injury patterns associated with hip instability.