The Role of Permanence in Hip Dislocations

Physical exam for a patient greater than one year that is in a walking child will reveal pelvic obliquity, lumbar lordosis, and response to hip contractures resulting from bilateral dislocations. Some measurements to be aware of in the setting of a hip dislocation include Helgen Reiner's line, Perkins line, and Shenton's line. Radiographs become the primary imaging modality at four to six months after the femoral head begins to ossify.