What is Hip Dislocation

Hip dislocation is when the bones in your hip joint move out of place. To treat this, your doctor must move your bones back into place (reduction). This condition is an emergency. If you think you have dislocated your hip, do not move. Get medical help right away.

Symptoms of a dislocated hip may include:

• Very bad pain in your hip area. Pain may get worse when you move or when you try to use your hip to support (bear) your weight.
• Not being able to move the hip.
• Having the leg of the dislocated hip looking shorter than the other leg.
• Inward turning of the foot on the side of the dislocated hip.
• Loss of feeling in your lower leg, foot, or ankle.

Follow these instructions at home:

If you have a splint:

• Do not put pressure on any part of the splint until it is fully hardened. This may take many hours.
• Wear the splint as told by your doctor. Remove it only as told by your doctor.
• Loosen the splint if your toes tingle, get numb, or turn cold and blue.
• Do not let your splint get wet if it is not waterproof.
  • Do not take baths, swim, or use a hot tub until your doctor says it is okay. Ask your doctor if you can take showers. You may only be allowed to take sponge baths for bathing.
  • If your splint is not waterproof, cover it with a watertight plastic bag when you take a bath or a shower.
• Keep the splint clean.

Managing pain, stiffness, and swelling

• If directed, put ice on the injured area:
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
• Wear compression stockings or wraps as told by your doctor.
• Move your toes often to avoid stiffness and to lessen swelling.

Driving

• Do not drive or use heavy machinery while taking prescription pain medicine, or as told by your doctor.
• Ask your doctor when it is safe to drive if you have a splint on your hip.

Activity

• Return to your normal activities as told by your doctor. Ask your doctor what activities are safe for you.
• If physical therapy was prescribed, do exercises as told by your doctor.

Safety

• Do not use your hip to support your body weight until your doctor says that you can. Use crutches or a walker as told by your doctor.

General instructions

• Do not use any tobacco products, such as cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and e-cigarettes. Tobacco can delay bone healing. If you need help quitting, ask your doctor.
• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your doctor. This is important.

How is this prevented?

• If you have trouble walking or keeping your balance, try using a cane or a walker. If you feel unstable, sit down right away.
• Exercise regularly, as told by your doctor.
• Warm up and stretch before being active.
• Cool down and stretch after being active.

Contact a doctor if:

• You have pain that gets worse.
• You have pain that does not get better with medicine.
• You have swelling in your hip area or your leg.
• You have red skin on your hip area or your leg.
• You cannot move any part of your hip or leg.
• You feel tingling in any part of your hip, leg, or foot.

Get help right away if:

• You feel like your hip has dislocated again.
• You have very bad pain in your hip or groin.
• You have numbness or weakness in your leg.

If you have symptoms of a hip dislocation, do not wait to see if the symptoms will go away. Get medical help right away. Call your local emergency services. Do not drive yourself to the hospital.