Clinical features
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: (1)
- 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
- pain on movement
- reduced range of movement (internal rotation) of the hip support the diagnosis of SCFE
- the affected leg is externally rotated and shortened (compared to the contralateral side)
- external rotation becomes gross when the hip is passively flexed to 90 degrees
Note:
- examination of both the hips are important since there is a possibility that the condition may be bilateral
Reference:
- Peck DM, Voss LM, Voss TT; Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis: Diagnosis and Management. Am Fam Physician. 2017 Jun 15;95(12):779-784.
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