Question 1

What exactly is a hip pointer?

Accepted Answer

A hip pointer is a deep bruise (contusion) to the iliac crest - the top curved part of your hip bone that you can feel on the side of your body. It happens from direct impact, typically in contact sports when someone's helmet, shoulder, or elbow hits your hip, or when you fall directly onto your hip. The injury is extremely painful because the bone has minimal padding over it and multiple muscles attach there (abdominal muscles and hip muscles), so every movement pulls on the injured area.

Question 2

Why is a hip pointer so painful?

Accepted Answer

Hip pointers are incredibly painful because: 1) The hip bone (iliac crest) has very little soft tissue padding, so impacts bruise right down to the bone and its lining (periosteum), which is very sensitive. 2) Multiple muscles attach there - your abdominal muscles and hip muscles all pull on this area. 3) You can't rest it - every movement uses these muscles. Walking, running, bending, twisting, laughing, coughing, sneezing, even rolling over in bed all cause pain because they contract muscles that attach to the injured bone.

Question 3

How long until I can play sports again?

Accepted Answer

Return to contact sports typically takes 2-4 weeks for moderate hip pointers. Mild injuries may allow return in 7-14 days, while severe injuries with large bruising or bone chips can take 4-8 weeks. The key is being pain-free with functional movements (running, cutting, twisting) before returning. You MUST wear protective padding when you return to prevent re-injury. Return too soon without padding, and you have a 30-40% chance of re-injury, which will sideline you for much longer.

Question 4

Do I need X-rays for a hip pointer?

Accepted Answer

Most hip pointers don't need X-rays - they're diagnosed based on the mechanism (direct blow) and examination (point tenderness). X-rays are recommended if: you cannot bear weight, pain is extremely severe, there's concern about a bone fracture, or your doctor suspects a bone chip was pulled off (avulsion fracture). For typical hip pointers from contact sports, X-rays often aren't necessary.

Question 5

What is protective padding and why is it so important?

Accepted Answer

Protective padding is a custom foam pad (usually donut-shaped) worn over your hip bone when returning to contact sports. It surrounds the healing area and redistributes impact forces, protecting the injured bone from re-injury. It's ESSENTIAL - wearing padding reduces re-injury risk by 70-80%. Without padding, 30-40% of athletes re-injure their hip pointer, often worse than the first time. Wear the padding for 4-8 weeks after returning to sport, even after pain resolves.

Medical Disclaimer

Hip Pointer Injury

📖What is Hip Pointer Injury?

🔬What Causes It?

⚠️Risk Factors

You may be at higher risk if:

🛡️Prevention