The labrum is a dense fibrocartilage ring around the hip socket. It is firmly attached to the bone and serves to deepen the socket, giving depth and stability to the hip joint. Everyone with normal anatomy has this feature. Labral tears can occur as a result of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). That's a description of what happens if the head of the femur (thigh bone) butts up against the hip joint cartilage and pinches the labrum. Impingement means pinching.

The hip is a fairly complex joint. Problems that often seem like they are in the hip really originate from the low back, sacroiliac joint, and even the knee. True hip pain usually occurs in the groin and front of the thigh. But even knowing the problem is in the hip doesn't identify the true cause. It could be the soft tissues in and around the joint, the articular cartilage inside the joint, or the rim of cartilage around the rim of the hip socket called the labrum.

Even with the best imaging equipment, sometimes the surgeon doesn't really find out what's causing the patient's hip pain until he or she is looking inside the joint during surgery. What looks like a labral tear might really be a separation of the layers of articular cartilage in the joint.

You can certainly bring it to the attention of the nursing staff who will know whether or not to pursue the problem further. Although it is not a normal result of hip replacement, it can be considered a postoperative complication. It occurs in one to 10 per cent of adults with hip replacements.

Hip dysplasia is a condition in which there is a disruption in the normal relationship between the head of the femur (thigh bone) and the acetabulum (hip socket). Usually, the acetabulum is too shallow or sloping rather than a normal cup shape. It cannot hold the femoral head in place. Hip subluxation (partial dislocation) and even full dislocation can occur.

Imagine you are late arriving at a very quiet function. You attempt to sneak into the back row but the only seats left are in the front. Every time you take a step, there is an audible pop, squeak, or grinding sound. The noise is coming from your new hip replacement. The results of this study show that 10 per cent of the adults who get a ceramic-on-ceramic implant will end up with a noise of this type.

With the recent effort to reduce the length of hospital stays, physical therapists are exploring the most effective ways to treat orthopedic patients. The standard rehab program after hip or knee joint replacement includes a mix of exercises to improve circulation and to prevent blood clots and other complications. Other goals include improving motion, strength, and function (especially walking).

This is the first study reported to look at the benefit of aquatic therapy in the early days after joint replacement. Physical therapists in Australia randomly placed patients getting a hip or knee replacement into one of three different treatment groups. The goal was to find out what kind of treatment is best in the early days after orthopedic surgery.

You'll probably want to ask the orthopedic surgeon this question. He or she may have a general idea given the condition of your mother before surgery, the type of surgery being done, and the philosophy behind their rehab program.

Surgeons, health care administrators, and physical therapists are all working together to find ways to reduce hospitalization and complications after orthopedic surgery. Total hip and total knee replacements are so common now that they have become the focus of attention in this area.