What to Know About Hip Pointer Injury

There is only one type of hip pointer injury; however, until one medical doctor suggested a more specific definition, the term "hip pointer" was used to describe all types of hip injuries in athletes.

A hip pointer is a severe bruise that can cause bleeding beneath the skin's surface on the iliac crest. The iliac crest is the top portion of only one of the pelvic bones. If you put your hands at your waist and press down, you can feel your iliac crest as the prominent edge of the ileum.

Symptoms of Pointer Injury

A hip pointer is a large bruise on the bony edge of your pelvis. Discoloration and tenderness are common in bruises.

When you have a hip pointer injury, your symptoms may go beyond a simple bruise. Bruising, hematoma, swelling, severe pain or tenderness to touch, limited range of motion in your hip, and weakness in your hip or leg are all symptoms of a hip pointer.

Causes

Direct physical trauma to the soft tissue over the iliac crest causes hip pointer injuries. This is a common contact sports injury, particularly among football and hockey players, but it can also occur in noncontact sports, falls, or even a crash.

Diagnosis

The first step in diagnosing a hip pointer injury is determining how it happened. If you were hurt while participating in sports, your doctor may not need much more information to make a diagnosis. There will almost certainly be physical signs of injury, such as bruising or, in more severe cases, a hematoma.

Your healthcare provider may decide to perform additional tests to rule out any other hip or bone damage after a physical examination and review of your symptoms and what happened. X-rays, MRI, and ultrasounds are some of the tests that may be ordered to check for other injuries or complications.

Treatment

The severity of the injury determines how a hip pointer is treated. Athletes can often return to play after these injuries with additional hip pointer management after their game or competition.

Rest, cold therapy, compression, elevation, avoiding weight-bearing with crutches, nonprescription anti-inflammatory medications, and pain relievers are all things that can help reduce the pain and inflammation caused by a hip pointer.

Aspiration, or the removal of blood with a thin needle, is an option in severe cases where a large hematoma may cause blood to pool beneath the skin's surface. Local anesthetic injections are sometimes used in severe injuries or with professional athletes.

Prognosis

Your prognosis following a hip pointer injury is determined by the severity of the injury, your age, and your overall health. Professional athletes may return to play immediately after these injuries, but you should consult with a sports medicine specialist and a physical therapist before doing so.

Children and recreational athletes should take a break from their sport or competition, or simply rest more. A hip pointer injury usually heals on its own, though it can be painful for two to three weeks.

Coping

It is critical to give yourself time to heal after any injury. Pushing yourself to resume normal activity after a hip pointer could result in complications.

If you are not careful, a hip pointer injury can make weight-bearing difficult and put you in danger of being injured again or more severely. Protective gear and padding, especially in contact sports, can help prevent these injuries and permanent damage.

The Bottom Line

A hip pointer injury is caused by a direct blow to the iliac crest, which is the prominent edge at the top of your pelvis. These soft-tissue injuries usually heal on their own, but they can take weeks.

If you sustain a hip pointer injury, you may not require immediate treatment, but you should not rush the healing process. Simple at-home treatments such as rest, ice, and elevation are commonly used to treat hip pointer injuries. Rushing back into play can cause additional issues.

If your injury isn't feeling better after a few weeks, consult your doctor to rule out complications or more serious injuries.