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Last reviewed 01/2018
There is often a history of a road accident and the patient being thrown forward and hitting their knee against the dashboard.
On examination the leg at the side of the dislocation is adducted, internally rotated, slightly flexed and is shorter than the other leg. This injury may be missed if there is a fracture of one of the long bones of the lower limb eg the femur. Thus, in order not to miss this injury, in all cases of major lower limb trauma there should be an x-ray of the pelvis; also if there is a fracture of the femur then there should also be an x-ray of the hip. There may be signs of sciatic nerve injury.