How Common Are Hip Labral Tears — and How Dry Needling Can Help Relieve the Pain

Hip pain can sneak up slowly or strike suddenly after activity, but one of the most frequently overlooked causes is a hip labral tear — an injury to the ring of cartilage (labrum) that surrounds the hip socket. Whether you’re an athlete, active adult, or weekend warrior, this small tear can lead to big discomfort — and it’s more common than most people realize.

At Empower Rehab & Wellness in Buckhead, we see many patients with labral tears who experience tightness, deep hip pain, or catching sensations — and one of the most effective natural treatments we use to relieve their pain and restore movement is dry needling.

🔍 Understanding Hip Labral Tears

The labrum is a ring of cartilage that cushions and stabilizes your hip joint, helping the femur (thigh bone) move smoothly within its socket. A labral tear happens when that cartilage becomes frayed or torn, often due to:

• Repetitive hip motion (running, cycling, dancing)

• Structural issues such as femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)

• Trauma or sports injuries

• Muscle imbalances or poor hip mechanics

📊 How Common Are Hip Labral Tears?

Recent studies suggest that up to 22–55% of people with hip or groin pain have a labral tear.

Among athletes — especially runners, dancers, and hockey or soccer players — the number is even higher.

Even in people with no symptoms, MRI studies have found small tears in over 25% of healthy adults, showing how easily the hip labrum can be injured or stressed.

That means many people live with hip labral irritation for years before realizing what’s causing their pain.

⚡️ Common Symptoms of a Hip Labral Tear

• Deep ache in the front or side of the hip

• Pain with sitting, running, or twisting

• Clicking, locking, or catching in the hip

• Stiffness or reduced range of motion

• Groin or gluteal pain that doesn’t improve with stretching

💉 How Dry Needling Helps with Hip Labral Pain

While a labral tear itself is structural, much of the pain and movement limitation comes from muscle guarding, inflammation, and nerve irritation around the hip.

This is where dry needling can make a dramatic difference.

Dry needling uses thin, sterile needles inserted into trigger points (knots) in muscles like the gluteus medius, piriformis, TFL, and hip flexors. When done by a trained provider, this technique:

• Releases deep muscle tension

• Reduces inflammation and nerve sensitivity

• Improves hip mobility and flexibility

• Promotes blood flow and healing around the joint

• Relieves referred pain from tight surrounding muscles

Patients often describe a sense of deep release and improved range of motion within 24–48 hours after treatment.

🔄 Why Combine Dry Needling with Rehabilitation

At Empower Rehab & Wellness, dry needling is rarely used alone. We combine it with corrective exercises, manual therapy, and movement retraining to improve hip stability and function long-term.

This integrated approach helps patients not only find relief from pain but also prevent re-injury and return to full activity safely.

🏃‍♀️ Find Hip Pain Relief in Buckhead

If you’re experiencing deep hip pain, stiffness, or clicking, a labral tear could be part of the problem — but you don’t have to live with it.

Our team at Empower Rehab & Wellness provides personalized treatment plans that include dry needling, physical therapy, and functional movement restoration to help you move better and feel your best again.

📍 Located in Buckhead and proudly serving patients across Atlanta.

👉 Book your dry needling consultation today to discover how this targeted treatment can help relieve hip pain naturally.

Book Today!