Patient's question:
Hip dislocationDoctor's answer:
The incidence of congenital hip dislocation in children has been on the rise in recent years. How can we detect infant hip dislocation early? The earliest signs of hip dislocation are limited abduction and external rotation of the hip. Parents can observe certain signs to determine if their child may have hip dislocation.● Observe the gluteal fold method: Place the infant face down on the bed and observe the horizontal folds of their buttocks. Normally, the gluteal folds on both sides are symmetrical and equal in number. If they are asymmetrical or unequal in quantity, it is recommended to take the infant to the hospital for hip examination.
● Frog-leg test: Place the infant face up on the bed with their knees lifted, mimicking the posture of a frog by abducting the legs outward. Observe whether the thighs touch the bed. If both knees touch the bed, it is normal. If one or both knees do not touch the bed, the infant should be taken to the hospital for examination.
● Knee flexion test: Place the infant flat on the bed with their knees bent at 90 degrees and aligned, with both feet pointing forward. Observe whether the knees are at the same height. If one knee is higher than the other, be cautious about the child's hip joint.
Early treatment of hip dislocation is crucial. For infants under 2 months old, treatment is the simplest and can fully restore normal function. For children between 3 months and 1 year old, reduction and fixation can achieve ideal results. For children aged 1 to 3 years, due to prolonged dislocation and varying degrees of soft tissue contracture around the hip joint, traction must be performed before reduction. For children aged 3 to 8 years, the dislocation has been present for a longer period, with severe soft tissue contracture and poor acetabular development, making manual reduction extremely difficult. Therefore, most require surgery to restore the hip joint.
Parents must closely monitor their child's physical condition, be vigilant about symptoms, and detect hip dislocation early. If an infant shows signs similar to hip dislocation, they should be taken to the hospital for standardized treatment as soon as possible to avoid lifelong disability.