Pain Condition
Hip Labral Tear
By Dr. Anthony J. Gordon, Doctor of Acupuncture | Last reviewed September 2026
Your MRI shows a labral tear. Your hip pinches, clicks or catches, and the groin aches with sitting and walking. You may be weighing surgery or recovering from it. Many labral tears are found in people with little pain, and much of the pain in those who hurt comes from the muscles guarding the hip. Those muscles can be treated directly.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (516) 597-5400. Most new patients are seen within one to two weeks.
Overview
Understanding Hip Labral Tear
The labrum is a ring of cartilage around the hip socket that deepens it and helps seal the joint. Tears can come from impingement, where the bone shapes of the hip pinch the labrum, from repetitive twisting and flexion in sports, from hypermobility, or from injury.
Labral tears are common on MRI, including in people without pain. When a tear is painful, the hip muscles respond by guarding. The iliopsoas, adductors, deep rotators and gluteals tighten and develop trigger points, which add their own groin and hip pain and can make the joint feel stiffer. Those muscle patterns often explain why pain persists and why it can continue after surgery.
Your orthopedist manages imaging, injections and surgery decisions. Dr. Gordon treats the muscle guarding and nerve sensitivity around the hip, whether you are trying conservative care or recovering from surgery.
Hip Labral Tear at a Glance
Also called
Hip labral pathology, acetabular labral tear
Common causes
Hip impingement, repetitive sport movements, hypermobility, injury
Common symptoms
Groin pain, clicking, catching, pinching with flexion, stiffness
Key point
Labral tears are common on MRI, even in people without pain
What Dr. Gordon addresses
Hip flexor, adductor, deep rotator and gluteal guarding, nerve sensitivity
The Gap in Care
What Tests Check, and What They Can Miss
Labral care focuses on the tear itself. The muscle guarding around the hip is often the larger source of pain and is less often treated.
What routine testing is looking for
- Size and location of the tear
- Hip impingement shape
- Cartilage damage
- Surgical candidacy
What often keeps symptoms going
- Iliopsoas guarding at the front of the hip
- Adductor and deep rotator tension
- Gluteal weakness with trigger points
- Pelvic floor and obturator internus involvement
- Movement patterns that load the front of the hip
These are assessed with hands-on and movement testing, which is how Dr. Gordon approaches labral pain.
Signs & Symptoms
Does This Sound Like You?
Symptoms vary from person to person. These are the patterns Dr. Gordon sees most often.
Groin pain
Aching or sharp pain in the groin.
Clicking or catching
A click, catch or lock in the hip.
Pinching with flexion
Pain bringing the knee toward the chest.
Pain with sitting
Aching after long sitting.
Stiffness
Reduced hip movement.
Pain with twisting
Pain pivoting or turning.
Root Causes
The Four Drivers Dr. Gordon Looks For
Most people have more than one of these in play. Finding which one leads makes treatment more efficient.
The tear itself
The labral tear can cause catching and pain, which your orthopedist monitors.
Muscle guarding
Hip muscles tighten to protect the joint and create their own pain.
Impingement and movement
Hip shape and movement habits load the front of the joint.
Weak gluteals
Weak gluteals increase strain at the front of the hip.
Your First Visit
How Dr. Gordon Evaluates Hip Labral Tear
The initial evaluation runs 60 to 75 minutes. You leave with a clear picture of what is driving your symptoms, a written plan, a realistic timeline, and in most cases your first treatment.
Records and history review
Dr. Gordon reviews your MRI, orthopedic notes, injections and any surgical history.
Hip joint testing
Tests for labral, impingement and joint sources.
Muscle mapping
Assessment of the iliopsoas, adductors, deep rotators and gluteals.
Movement assessment
Squat, step and gait testing to see how the hip is loaded.
Plan and coordination
A clear plan, plus communication with your physician, orthopedist or physical therapist when that helps your care.
When to see a physician first
- Hip or groin pain with inability to bear weight
- Pain after a fall, especially if you are older or have osteoporosis
- A hot, red, swollen joint or fever
- Groin pain with nausea, vomiting or a painful bulge
- Severe pain at night that does not change with position
- Calf pain and swelling, which can signal a blood clot
If you have any of these, contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency department.
Bring to your first visit
Records
Recent lab results, imaging reports and specialist notes. These can also be faxed ahead.
Treatment history
A short list of what you have tried and what did or did not help.
Clothing
Something comfortable and loose fitting.
Treatment
How Dr. Gordon Treats It
These are the tools Dr. Gordon uses most often for hip labral pain, chosen from your exam findings.
Primary approach
Orthopedic Dry Needling
Dr. Gordon has used dry needling for more than 18 years. Treatment releases the iliopsoas, adductor, deep rotator and gluteal guarding around a painful labrum.
See all servicesNerve focus
Neuro-Functional Acupuncture
Electro-acupuncture to calm joint-related nerve sensitivity.
See all servicesBetween visits
Hip Plan & Team Coordination
Movement and strengthening guidance, coordinated with your orthopedist and physical therapist.
Referring provider? Contact the clinicWhat to Expect
A Typical Recovery Arc
Visits 1 to 3
Find the main driver
Dr. Gordon confirms which muscles and nerves are behind your symptoms and starts calming the most reactive areas. Many people notice early changes between visits.
Visits 4 to 8
Lower the baseline
Day-to-day symptoms ease, flares become shorter and less frequent, and normal routines start to feel more manageable.
Visits 9 to 12 and beyond
Build resilience
Visits are spaced out as improvement holds. You leave with a maintenance and early-flare plan.
Most patients are seen weekly or every other week during active care. Individual results vary with how long symptoms have been present and how reactive they are. Progress is reassessed at every visit.
Not sure how to describe it? Put your pain or discomfort into words before your visit
"As a professional ballet dancer I'm always looking for a knowledgeable doctor with effective treatment methods for my injuries. Within 3 visits my hip injury, which I had been dealing with for months, was gone. I've worked with several physical therapists and tried many alternative treatments and none compared to the dry needling I received here!"
Max Lippman, Google Review
Hip Labral Tear Questions
Answers About Hip Labral Tear
Still unsure whether this is the right fit? Reach out before you book and Dr. Gordon will talk through your history with you.
Not always. Many people improve with conservative care. Your orthopedist can discuss options.
No, but it treats the muscle guarding that accounts for much of the pain.
Yes, once cleared by your surgeon.
Clicking can come from the labrum or from tendons moving over the joint.
Many people need six to twelve sessions.
Usually with modifications to avoid pinching positions.
Before You Book
General Questions
The clinic is an out-of-network practice. The initial evaluation is $300 and follow-up visits are $250. After each visit you receive a detailed superbill to submit to your PPO plan for possible reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards are accepted, and the clinic can run a complimentary benefits check before your first appointment. The check is a courtesy, so please confirm your coverage with your plan. See Insurance & Fees for details.
The first evaluation is 60 to 75 minutes and usually includes treatment. Follow-up visits run 45 to 60 minutes.
Yes. Call (516) 597-5400 or send a message through the contact page. This is especially helpful if your case is complex and you want to understand the approach before committing to a full evaluation.
1508 Union Turnpike, Suite 133, North New Hyde Park, NY 11040, with free parking on site. The clinic is an easy drive from Manhasset, Great Neck, Garden City, Lake Success, Floral Park and Mineola. Early morning, evening and weekend hours are available.
Most people feel a quick muscle twitch or a deep ache that lasts a few seconds. That twitch is a normal sign the trigger point is releasing. Mild soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterward, similar to a hard workout, is common. Depth, angle and stimulation are adjusted to your comfort.
Both use the same fine, sterile, single-use needles. Dry needling targets specific trigger points and tight bands in muscle based on your exam. Neuro-functional acupuncture targets nerve pathways, often with gentle electrical stimulation, to calm nerve sensitivity. For hip labral pain, Dr. Gordon commonly uses both.
When performed by a trained, licensed provider with detailed knowledge of anatomy, it has a strong safety record. Tell Dr. Gordon if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system so he can plan accordingly.
About Dr. Anthony J. Gordon
Dr. Anthony J. Gordon is a Doctor of Acupuncture licensed in New York and board certified. He holds ASE certification in intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling, along with advanced certifications in Functional Dry Needling and Neuro-Functional Acupuncture. With more than 18 years of clinical experience and over 3,000 complex cases treated, he focuses on pelvic, spinal and orthopedic conditions that have not responded to standard care, and works closely with each patient's physicians and physical therapists.
Read Dr. Gordon's full bioBook an Evaluation for Hip Labral Tear
Book a full evaluation with Dr. Gordon and address the muscle side of your labral pain.
Early morning, evening and weekend appointments available. Free on-site parking.
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