Transient Synovitis of the Hip in an Adult

Transient synovitis of the hip is an acute and self-limited disease commonly seen in children. It is the most common cause of acute hip pain in children ages 3 to 10. It is not considered a disease of adults. It usually only affects one hip. The child may complain of pain that is much worse with walking and may actually walk with a limp. The symptoms usually improve in 4 to 5 days. Over-the-counter pain medicines (acetaminophen, ibuprofen) may help. There is usually no associated residual deficit. Currently, three cases in the literature report the same presentation and symptomatology in adults. We report the fourth case of acute hip pain in an adult that behaved in a way parallel to that seen in the pediatric population.