A hip pointer injury is a pain situated specifically on the top front side of your iliac crest, and can radiate around the hips, affecting your daily activities such as walking, laughing, and even breathing. The severity of hip pointer injury can vary from a minor bruise to a more serious injury that requires immediate medical attention.

Hip pointer injuries can happen due to:

• High impact or contact sports or activities 
• Car accidents
• Falls

When the iliac crest is struck, it can cause bleeding, swelling, and pain in the surrounding muscles and soft tissues, leading to a hip pointer injury.

• Pain and tenderness in the upper-outer part of your hip
• Swelling and bruising around the affected area
• Difficulty walking or moving your leg
• Muscle spasms or stiffness in your hip area
• Numbness or a tingling sensation in the affected leg

Individuals with minor hip pointer may experience mild pain and discomfort, while those with a more serious injury may experience significant pain and swelling that can make it difficult to move or walk. In some cases, hip pointer can lead to temporary disability.

These factors are: 

• Sports: individuals involved in contact sports are more susceptible to hip pointer. 
• Manual labour: individuals who work in jobs that involve physical labour or manual handling may also be at risk of developing hip pointer injuries.

• Physical examination: along with your medical history and a description about how your injury occurred, a physical examination of the affected area will be conducted and your hip may be pressed to check for tenderness, swelling, and/or deformity.
• Imaging tests: x-rays, computed tomography scans (CT-scan), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be performed to evaluate the extent of your injury and rule out potential causes of pain.

Some treatment options for hip pointer injury include:

• Rest: rest the affected area and limit any activity that causes pain.
• Ice packs: apply ice packs for 20 minutes at a time (few times a day) to reduce pain and swelling.
• Medications: pain relievers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) will be prescribed to manage pain and inflammation.
• Hip pad/cushion: helps protect your injury from further damage.
• Crutches: to get around and avoid putting weight on the affected leg.
• Physiotherapy: physiotherapy involves gentle and therapeutic exercises to regain strength, flexibility, and range of motion.