Prospective evaluation of newborn soft-tissue hip 'clicks' with ultrasound

Fifty infants with soft-tissue hip 'clicks' persisting after age 3 months were prospectively studied by using ultrasound. All children demonstrated a stable hip examination by Barlow and Ortolani maneuvers; however, a click was palpated with abduction and adduction of the hip. Static ultrasonography demonstrated an average α angle of 63°in uninvolved hips and 62°in the clicking hips. All hips had >50% femoral-head coverage by the acetabulum. Dynamic ultrasound examination was normal in all cases. The soft- tissue clicks were not related to instability in this series of 50 infants.