What Causes Hip Subluxation and How Do You Treat It?

Healthy hips are important for full range of motion in your lower body. Your hips affect how you walk, sit, jump and perform any other movement that involves your legs.

Hip subluxation happens when a hip becomes unstable and partially slips out of the socket, but then returns to its original position on its own, says board-certified orthopedist Sean Rajaee, MD, adult reconstruction and joint replacement surgeon and director of the Outpatient Hip and Knee Center at Cedars-Sinai.

It's uncomfortable and often painful, usually caused by an injury like falling or a car crash. Here, learn the difference between subluxation and dislocation along with how to treat and prevent hip subluxation.

Hip subluxation and dislocation are similar but essentially differ in severity. Subluxation is when an unstable hip ‌partially‌ dislocates, or slips in and out of its socket. It feels like your hip is snapping in the socket when you move, or like you can't put your full weight on your leg, per the Cleveland Clinic.

Mild subluxation typically doesn't require medical help and in most cases will resolve on its own, Dr. Rajaee says. But if it's a severe case of hip subluxation, a doctor may need to reset the hip.

Hip dislocation, on the other hand, is when a hip comes entirely out of the socket. This usually happens after a traumatic event, Dr. Rajaee says.

"When a patient goes through significant physical trauma, such as a high-speed car crash, it can cause the hip to dislocate from the socket, requiring immediate medical attention in the hospital," he adds.

Walking or putting weight on your leg becomes impossible when your hip is dislocated. In worst-case scenarios, the ball of your femur or your socket could get fractured and require surgery.

Hip subluxation and hip dislocation share the following symptoms, per Dr. Rajaee:

• Joint pain
• Swelling
• Difficulty moving your leg
• Numbness
• Difficulty walking or standing
• Muscle spasms

A doctor can help you determine whether you have a subluxation or dislocation. They can often detect it just by looking at your hip, but they may also want you to get a full physical exam, X-rays or a CT scan before they treat you, per the Cleveland Clinic.

And of course, get help immediately if you're in severe pain or can't walk.

There are a few different treatment options for hip subluxation in adults, Dr. Rajaee says. Treatment will depend on the severity of your subluxation. These can include:

For mild cases of hip subluxation, exercises that target the hip joints can help work the hip back into its socket and increase hip mobility.

Certain hip stability exercises can give you more stability without adding too much wear and tear on these crucial joints, Dr. Rajaee says, including:

• Clamshell
• Fire hydrant
• Banded lateral walk
• Glute bridge

Try adding these exercises to your workout routine three to five times a week to help strengthen and stabilize your hips.

If the pain from your subluxation is keeping you from working out, ask your doctor about stretches you ‌can‌ do while your hip heals.

Moderate to extreme cases of hip subluxation — i.e., when you have noticeable hip pain or you're no longer able to support your weight — will usually require professional help.

Your doctor can treat your subluxation with a hip reduction, which involves manually moving the joint back into place, per the Cleveland Clinic. This should only be done by a trained professional.

You will likely be given anesthesia or a sedative to keep you comfortable during the procedure.

If the hip subluxation is severe enough, you may need surgery.

"In middle-aged adults with some wear and tear of their hip cartilage, hip subluxation is most reliably fixed through a surgery called total hip arthroplasty (or replacement)," Dr. Rajaee says.

"Fortunately, through advanced technology and muscle-sparing surgical techniques, patients do exceptionally well with these modern-day hip replacements," he adds.

Hip subluxation is usually unexpected, especially if it's caused by an accident. But there are some things you can do to prevent it from happening. These include the following, per Dr. Rajaee:

• ‌Practice general safety‌: Take precautions daily, like wearing a seatbelt in the car and safety gear when participating in contact sports.
• ‌Strength train regularly‌: Incorporate hip-strengthening exercises to prevent hip subluxation from happening again, and consider going to physical therapy for extra help.
• ‌Avoid hip-dominant movements‌: If you're prone to hip instability, avoid activities and movement that could cause your hip to pop in and out of place (i.e., high-impact sports like running, soccer, football or basketball). "This precaution helps prevent further damage to the hip cartilage," Dr. Rajaee says.

If you suspect you have hip subluxation (even a mild case), the sooner you call your doctor, the better.

"Early recognition and diagnosis of hip dysplasia and subluxation are of the utmost importance," Dr. Rajaee says. "You should talk to your doctor at the earliest moment you have concerns about hip subluxation. Often, the earliest symptom is hip pain rather than full-on subluxation."

Your doctor can help you figure out the type of treatment you need.