clinical features

Last reviewed 01/2018

Initial presentation is with vague symptoms. In some patients absence of symptoms in the hip may cause missed or a delay in the diagnosis (1).

Presenting features of SCFE include:

  • limping
  • pain, which can be poorly localized to the hip, groin, thigh, or knee
    • in 15% of cases knee or distal thigh pain is the presenting feature (2)
  • pain on movement
  • reduced range of movement (internal rotation) of the hip support the diagnosis of SCFE (2)
  • the affected leg is externally rotated and shortened (compared to the contralateral side) (3)
  • external rotation becomes gross when the hip is passively flexed to 90 degrees (2)

Note:

  • examination of both the hips are important since there is a possibility that the condition may be bilateral (3)

Reference:

Related pages:

antalgic gait