Femoroacetabular Impingement: Critical Analysis Review of Current Nonoperative Treatments

Abstract

» Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is the premature contact of the femoral head-neck junction with the superior acetabular rim during hip range of motion, which may further damage intra-articular soft tissue structures and lead to the accelerated development of osteoarthritis.» FAI syndrome is diagnosed by a triad of symptoms, clinical signs, and imaging findings, and is a common cause of hip pain in young patients that have a significant impact on patient hip-related function and quality of life.» The treatment of FAI syndrome begins with noninvasive nonoperative modalities such as patient education and supervised exercise-based physical therapy. For recalcitrant symptoms, various injections have been explored for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes; however, the efficacy of these interventions have generally not been demonstrated outside of the short term» In this article, we examine the available literature regarding the nonoperative treatment of FAI and provide insight into the effectiveness of current treatment modalities.

Fig. 1

Preoperative (top) and postoperative (bottom) Dunn view radiographs of a 19-year-old patient with significant cam deformity and concomitant hip stiffness who underwent expedited hip arthroscopy for femoroplasty, acetabuloplasty, and labral repair.