Dislocatable hip, hip dislocation and hip dysplasia are all congenital hip defects. A dislocatable hip develops due to a weakness of the joint capsule and in 90% of cases it recovers within two months. A hip which is dislocatable at birth, is usually no longer dislocatable after some time (due to the capsule becoming stronger). The child should therefore, not suffer any residual physical defects as a result of this condition.
In about 10% of cases, a permanent hip displacement develops. This is when the femur head can no longer be manually repositioned as a consequence of a shortening of the abductors or a torn acetabular labrum. In the case of hip dysplasia, the acetabulum does not sufficiently cover the head of the femur.