The labrum is a ring of tough cartilage around the rim of the hip socket. It deepens the socket and seals the joint. A labral tear can cause deep groin pain, clicking and catching, and it’s one of the most common hip problems in active people.
- Common symptoms: groin or front-of-hip pain, clicking, catching or locking, pain with sitting or pivoting
- Often caused by hip impingement (FAI), dysplasia, injury or wear
- Many patients improve with physical therapy and injections
- If pain persists, arthroscopic repair can restore the labrum through small incisions
What causes a hip labral tear?
- Hip impingement (FAI): extra bone on the ball or socket pinches the labrum with bending and rotation. This is the most common cause in young, active patients.
- Hip dysplasia: a shallow socket overloads the labrum.
- Injury: twisting, a fall or a sudden pivot.
- Wear: degenerative tears with age and early arthritis.
Symptoms
Typical symptoms are a deep, sharp or aching pain in the groin or front of the hip. Many patients also describe clicking, catching or locking, and stiffness. Sitting for a long time, getting out of a car, twisting and deep squats often make it worse. Some tears cause few symptoms.
Labral tear or hip flexor strain?
A hip flexor strain usually follows a specific injury, such as a sprint or kick, and steadily improves over a few weeks. Labral tear pain tends to linger or come and go for months, and often comes with clicking or catching. If groin pain has lasted longer than about 6 weeks, it’s worth an evaluation.
Diagnosis
Dr. Dold examines the hip with specific impingement tests and reviews X-rays to look for FAI, dysplasia and arthritis. An MRI, often an MR arthrogram, shows the labrum in detail. A numbing injection into the joint can confirm the joint is the source of pain.
Can a labral tear heal without surgery?
The labrum has a limited blood supply, so the tear itself usually doesn’t heal on its own. But symptoms often do improve. Many patients do well with:
- Physical therapy focused on hip and core strength and movement patterns
- Activity changes that avoid deep flexion and pinching positions
- Anti-inflammatory medicine
- An image-guided injection into the joint to calm inflammation and confirm the diagnosis
Surgery is considered when pain and mechanical symptoms persist despite several months of good non-surgical care.
Arthroscopic labral repair and reconstruction
Dr. Dold performs hip arthroscopy through a few small incisions using a camera and specialized instruments.
- Labral repair: the torn labrum is reattached to the rim of the socket with small suture anchors, restoring the hip’s seal. This is preferred when the tissue is healthy enough.
- Labral reconstruction: when the labrum is too damaged to repair, it can be rebuilt with a donor tissue graft (allograft).
- Treating the cause: any impingement bone (cam or pincer) is reshaped at the same time, so the new repair isn’t pinched again.
Dr. Dold has a research background in hip arthroscopy. It includes a published review of post-operative considerations after hip arthroscopy (JBJS Reviews, 2017) and studies of pain control for hip arthroscopy in The American Journal of Sports Medicine. He also lectured on the advanced treatment of acetabular labral tears at the 2019 DFW Sports Medicine Symposium.
Recovery after labral repair
| When | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Day of surgery | Outpatient surgery; home the same day |
| First weeks | Crutches with protected weight bearing for about 2 to 4 weeks, and a hip brace in the early weeks |
| 6 to 12 weeks | Normal walking, progressive strengthening in physical therapy |
| 3 to 6 months | Gradual return to running and sport, guided by strength testing |
Recovery timelines vary with the type of repair and any additional procedures.
“It had been about nine years and I had been dealing with pain coming from the hip. I was 42 years of age and had given up on ever running again… Dr. Dold diagnosed the problem with my hip… I had a labrum tear and a couple other issues… I was able to return to the training I desired. Actually, even harder training than ever. I am now 43 years old, going on 44, and have some competitions in line for road races, CrossFit, and Hyrox… Dr. Dold made this possible.”
— Sally I., Hip labral tear repair (Google review). Individual results vary.
Watch Dr. Dold: labral repair
Some of these videos show real surgery, so some viewers may prefer not to watch.
More videos on Dr. Dold’s YouTube channel.
What the research shows
Here is what published studies show about diagnosing and treating hip labral tears.
A tear on MRI is not the whole story
Labral tears are common on MRI even in people, including athletes, who have no hip pain. That is why the diagnosis rests on your symptoms and exam together with imaging, and why a numbing injection into the joint can help confirm the pain source. Modern 3.0 T MRI can identify many labral tears about as accurately as an MR arthrogram.
Repair, don’t just trim
When surgery is needed, repairing the labrum has produced better function and satisfaction than removing the torn tissue, in a randomized trial and in meta-analyses. When the labrum is too damaged to repair, reconstruction with a graft has produced meaningful improvement with low revision rates. Treating the underlying cause, such as impingement, is part of the operation; incomplete correction of the bone shape is the most common reason for revision surgery.
Who does well
Patients with mild or borderline hip dysplasia can do well with arthroscopy, but more significant dysplasia, older age and existing arthritis are linked to a higher chance of failure. In those hips, other treatments may be a better fit.
What patients say
Patient reviews in their own words. Individual results vary. Read more patient reviews.
Why see Dr. Dold
- Lectured on the advanced treatment of acetabular labral tears at the 2019 DFW Sports Medicine Symposium; hip arthroscopy research in AJSM and JBJS Reviews
- Board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, with subspecialty certification in Sports Medicine
- Fellow of the American Orthopaedic Association (FAOA), the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (FAAOS), the American College of Surgeons (FACS) and the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada (FRCSC)
- Sports medicine and arthroscopy fellowship at NYU Langone / Hospital for Joint Diseases; orthopedic residency at the University of Toronto
- Member of the International Society for Hip Arthroscopy (ISHA)
- D Magazine Best Doctors (Collin County), 2019–2026 · Rated 4.9 on Google
Frequently asked questions
Can a hip labral tear heal on its own?
The torn tissue usually doesn’t heal on its own because the labrum has a limited blood supply. Many people’s symptoms improve with physical therapy, activity changes and injections.
How do I know if I have a labral tear?
Deep groin pain with clicking, catching or locking, especially with sitting, pivoting or deep bending, suggests a labral tear. An exam and an MRI or MR arthrogram confirm it.
Is hip labral repair surgery worth it?
For patients whose pain persists despite good non-surgical care, arthroscopic repair, including correction of any impingement, can relieve pain and restore function. Results are generally better when significant arthritis is not present.
How long is recovery from hip labral repair?
Most patients use crutches for about 2 to 4 weeks, walk normally by 6 to 12 weeks, and return to sport around 3 to 6 months, depending on the procedure.
What is the difference between labral repair and reconstruction?
A repair reattaches your own labrum with suture anchors. A reconstruction replaces a labrum that is too damaged to repair with a donor tissue graft (allograft).
Hurt playing sports? See how Dr. Dold, a sports medicine doctor in Frisco, treats athletes of every age and level.
Research cited on this page
- Larson CM, Giveans MR, Stone RM. Arthroscopic debridement versus refixation of the acetabular labrum associated with femoroacetabular impingement: mean 3.5-year follow-up. Am J Sports Med. 2012;40(5):1015-1021. PubMed
At about 3.5 years, 92% of patients whose labrum was repaired had good to excellent results, compared with 68% of an earlier group whose labrum was trimmed. - Krych AJ, Thompson M, Knutson Z, et al. Arthroscopic labral repair versus selective labral debridement in female patients with femoroacetabular impingement: a prospective randomized study. Arthroscopy. 2013;29(1):46-53. PubMed
In a randomized study of 36 women, labral repair produced better hip function scores than trimming the labrum. - Byrd JW, Jones KS. Diagnostic accuracy of clinical assessment, magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance arthrography, and intra-articular injection in hip arthroscopy patients. Am J Sports Med. 2004;32(7):1668-1674. PubMed
Relief from a numbing injection into the hip joint was 90% accurate for finding a problem inside the joint. Standard MRI missed the problem in 42% of hips in this series. - Reiman MP, Goode AP, Cook CE, et al. Diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests for the diagnosis of hip femoroacetabular impingement/labral tear: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(12):811. PubMed
Common exam tests such as the flexion-adduction-internal rotation (FADIR) test are useful for screening but cannot confirm FAI or a labral tear on their own. - Ramos N, Dold A, Youm T. Postoperative considerations following hip arthroscopy. JBJS Rev. 2017;5(7):e3. PubMed
A review of recovery and rehabilitation after hip arthroscopy, co-authored by Dr. Dold. - Dold AP, Murnaghan L, Xing J, et al. Preoperative femoral nerve block in hip arthroscopic surgery: a retrospective review of 108 consecutive cases. Am J Sports Med. 2014;42(1):144-149. PubMed
Dr. Dold’s study of pain control: patients who had a nerve block before hip arthroscopy needed less opioid medication during surgery. - Heerey JJ, Kemp JL, Mosler AB, et al. What is the Prevalence of Hip Intra-Articular Pathologies and Osteoarthritis in Active Athletes with Hip and Groin Pain Compared with Those Without? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2019;49(6):951-972. PubMed
In athletes, labral tears and cartilage defects were common on imaging in both those with and without hip pain. - Heerey JJ, Kemp JL, Mosler AB, et al. What is the prevalence of imaging-defined intra-articular hip pathologies in people with and without pain? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(9):581-593. PubMed
The prevalence of labral tears and other joint findings varied widely in people with and without hip pain, so imaging must be matched to symptoms. - Frank JM, Harris JD, Erickson BJ, et al. Prevalence of Femoroacetabular Impingement Imaging Findings in Asymptomatic Volunteers: A Systematic Review. Arthroscopy. 2015;31(6):1199-204. PubMed
A review of 2,114 hips without symptoms found labral tears and FAI shapes were common, emphasizing correlation with history and exam. - Zhang P, Li C, Wang W, et al. 3.0 T MRI is more recommended to detect acetabular labral tears than MR Arthrography: an updated meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy. J Orthop Surg Res. 2022;17(1):126. PubMed
A meta-analysis found 3.0 T MRI identified labral tears with accuracy comparable to MR arthrography. - Lynch TS, Steinhaus ME, Popkin CA, et al. Outcomes After Diagnostic Hip Injection. Arthroscopy. 2016;32(8):1702-11. PubMed
Diagnostic hip injections gave substantial pain relief in patients with a range of hip-joint problems. - Reiman MP, Agricola R, Kemp JL, et al. Consensus recommendations on the classification, definition and diagnostic criteria of hip-related pain in young and middle-aged active adults from the International Hip-related Pain Research Network, Zurich 2018. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(11):631-641. PubMed
The Warwick consensus defines FAI syndrome and related hip conditions by combining symptoms, exam findings and imaging. - Griffin DR, Dickenson EJ, Achana F, et al. Arthroscopic hip surgery compared with personalised hip therapy in people over 16 years old with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome: UK FASHIoN RCT. Health Technol Assess. 2022;26(16):1-236. PubMed
In the UK FASHIoN trial, hip arthroscopy improved hip-related quality of life more than personalized physiotherapy, though both groups improved. - Wu ZX, Ren WX, Ren YM, et al. Arthroscopic labral debridement versus labral repair for patients with femoroacetabular impingement: A meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020;99(19):e20141. PubMed
A meta-analysis found labral repair gave better function, pain and satisfaction scores than labral debridement. - Savoye-Laurens T, Verdier N, Wettstein M, et al. Labral tears in hip dysplasia and femoroacetabular impingement: A systematic review. Orthop Traumatol Surg Res. 2023;109(4):103539. PubMed
A review found labral tears in most hips with impingement or dysplasia; one study reported better 10-year survival after repair than debridement. - Rahl MD, LaPorte C, Steinl GK, et al. Outcomes After Arthroscopic Hip Labral Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Am J Sports Med. 2020;48(7):1748-1755. PubMed
A meta-analysis found arthroscopic labral reconstruction produced clinically significant improvement, with no difference by graft type. - Bessa FS, Williams BT, Polce EM, et al. Indications and Outcomes for Arthroscopic Hip Labral Reconstruction With Autografts: A Systematic Review. Front Surg. 2020;7:61. PubMed
Across reconstruction studies, the most common reason was an irreparable labrum, and conversion to hip replacement ranged from 0 to 13%. - Johnson J, Vivekanantha P, Blackman B, et al. Labral repair, reconstruction, and augmentation improve postoperative outcomes in patients with irreparable or hypoplastic labra: A systematic review. J ISAKOS. 2024;9(6):100260. PubMed
A 2024 review found reconstruction or augmentation of an irreparable labrum improved patient-reported outcomes. - Trivedi NN, Sivasundaram L, Su CA, et al. Indications and Outcomes of Arthroscopic Labral Reconstruction of the Hip: A Systematic Review. Arthroscopy. 2019;35(7):2175-2186. PubMed
All 11 studies of labral reconstruction reported meaningful functional improvement with low rates of complications and revision. - Krivicich LM, Rice M, Sivasundaram L, et al. Borderline Dysplastic Hips Undergoing Hip Arthroscopy Achieve Equivalent Patient Reported Outcomes When Compared With Hips With Normal Acetabular Coverage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2023;31(6):e336-e346. PubMed
Patients with borderline hip dysplasia reached outcomes similar to patients without dysplasia after hip arthroscopy at short-term follow-up. - Shah A, Kay J, Memon M, et al. Clinical and radiographic predictors of failed hip arthroscopy in the management of dysplasia: a systematic review and proposal for classification. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2020;28(4):1296-1310. PubMed
Hip arthroscopy gave good results in mildly dysplastic hips, but was likely to fail in moderate or severe dysplasia. - Kraeutler MJ, Terle PM, Malempati M, et al. Risk Factors for Failure of Hip Arthroscopy in Patients With Borderline Dysplasia Include a Tönnis Angle ≥15°, Age ≥40 to 42 Years, Female Sex, Anterior Wall Index <0.35, Labral Debridement, and Preexisting Hip Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review. Arthroscopy. 2025;41(7):2636-2645. PubMed
In borderline dysplasia, risk factors for failure after arthroscopy included age over about 40, female sex, labral debridement and existing arthritis. - Ortiz-Declet V, Mu B, Chen AW, et al. Should the Capsule Be Repaired or Plicated After Hip Arthroscopy for Labral Tears Associated With Femoroacetabular Impingement or Instability? A Systematic Review. Arthroscopy. 2018;34(1):303-318. PubMed
Capsular closure after hip arthroscopy was safe and may improve outcomes in hips without arthritis. - Minkara AA, Westermann RW, Rosneck J, et al. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Outcomes After Hip Arthroscopy in Femoroacetabular Impingement. Am J Sports Med. 2019;47(2):488-500. PubMed
A high percentage of patients returned to sport after hip arthroscopy, with low complication and reoperation rates. - Horner NS, Ekhtiari S, Simunovic N, et al. Hip Arthroscopy in Patients Age 40 or Older: A Systematic Review. Arthroscopy. 2017;33(2):464-475.e3. PubMed
In patients 40 or older, labral repair with bone reshaping gave meaningful improvement, but labral debridement alone did not. - O’Connor M, Steinl GK, Padaki AS, et al. Outcomes of Revision Hip Arthroscopic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Am J Sports Med. 2020;48(5):1254-1262. PubMed
Inadequate bone reshaping was the most common reason for revision hip arthroscopy; outcomes improved after revision but remained lower than after primary surgery.
Medically reviewed by Andrew P. Dold, MD, FAOA, FAAOS, FACS, FRCSC. Last reviewed September 30, 2026. This page is general information, not medical advice.
