Use of a Hip Spica for Management of an Acetabular Labral Tear in a Female Collegiate Gymnast: A Case Report

The patient was a 20-year-old female gymnast complaining of lateral hip pain, posterior to the greater trochanter, that increased with hip extension and external rotation. Over the course of 1 month during the season, pain progressively shifted to the groin and hip extension and external rotation became limited. A minimally painful exercise program was implemented in conjunction with a supportive hip spica, assisting extension and external rotation while limiting flexion and internal rotation during therapeutic exercise. The resulting implementation of a hip spica is a novel way to reduce pain and improve function to augment current conservative treatments.