A hip pointer or contusion sometimes occurs when the superficial bony part of the upper, outer pelvis takes a direct blow from an object like a football helmet. This type of a bone bruise can be very painful requiring rest until it heals.
Hip contusion
The hip joint is made up of several bones. Some of these bones have superficial areas just beneath the skin. At times a fall off a bike or direct trauma such as a direct blow to the hip from an object like a football helmet can cause a contusion (bruise). A hip contusion is sometimes also referred to as a hip pointer.
While these injuries commonly improve with rest and time, this type of injury is known to be very painful and requires rest until it heals. Sometimes a hematoma can form in the area of a hip contusion. A hematoma is a collection of blood. Sometimes these hematomas can be large and painful.
If you have experienced a sports related hip injury or hip pain from a fall, it is important to be evaluated by a sports injury specialist for a comprehensive evaluation. In addition to a complete exam, additional imaging such as x-rays or other imaging like ultrasound may be indicated.
At Sports Health Northwest, we want to help our Portland area patients recover after a hip contusion injury and get back to being active.
