Hip impingement occurs when the ball and socket of the hip joint don’t fit together properly. The restricted motion damages cartilage and can cause a labral tear, resulting in pain and arthritis in young adults.

In some cases, the ball is too misshapen to fit properly into the socket. Sometimes, the exterior edge of the socket extends to the point that it covers too much of the ball. Hip impingement also can be caused by a combination of these two problems.