Lateral impact injury. A source of occult hip pathology

Arthroscopy has helped greatly in understanding the nature of many intra-articular disorders of the hip. It also has provided a better understanding of the pathomechanics and natural progression. This knowledge has aided in improving interpretative clinical skills and investigative techniques. Isolated traumatic chondral injury can occur as a result of impact loading over the greater trochanter. There seems to be a particular propensity for this injury in young physically fit adult males apt to incur this type of blow as a consequence of sport or activity. Initially, this injury may appear innocuous with variable dysfunction. When present, arthroscopy can reliably discern the pathology and often result in significant symptomatic improvement. The long-term consequences of these lesions are still concerning. Although symptomatic improvement from arthroscopic intervention is encouraging, for some cases the long-term influence may only be the knowledge provided for counseling the patient. Nonetheless, arthroscopy can be valuable in both the assessment and management of chondral injuries.