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Sports Medicine
intermediate
X-Type

Hip Pointer Injuries - Diagnosis and Return to Play

Athletic Hip Injuries

A 22-year-old rugby union flanker sustains a direct blow to his left hip during a tackle. He is unable to continue playing due to severe pain over the lateral pelvis. On examination, there is marked tenderness and swelling over the iliac crest with ecchymosis developing. Active hip flexion and trunk rotation exacerbate his pain. Pelvic radiographs are normal. Regarding hip pointer injuries:

Mark each as TRUE or FALSE

A

A hip pointer is a contusion to the iliac crest and its muscular attachments resulting from direct t...

B

The iliac crest has multiple muscular attachments including: external oblique, internal oblique, tra...

C

Hip pointer injuries require MRI for diagnosis in all cases; the injury primarily affects the hip jo...

D

Differential diagnosis includes iliac crest apophysitis (adolescents), iliac crest avulsion fracture...

E

Clinical examination findings include point tenderness over the iliac crest, visible ecchymosis, pai...

Answer the questions to see explanations

Click T (True) or F (False) for each option