Femoroacetabular Impingement
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a condition in which a part of the soft tissue surrounding the hip socket gets pinched or otherwise compressed. Femoroacetabular refers to the fact that the impingement occurs where the femur (thigh bone) and acetabulum (hip socket) meet. Femoroacetabular impingement can cause damage to both the articular cartilage and labral cartilage and is considered a common cause of premature hip osteoarthritis.
The initial symptom of femoroacetabular impingement is often groin pain that is experienced during activities that utilize hip motion. When chronic impingement has caused a labral tear, the groin pain can also include clicking and locking.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingement at Austin Sports Medicine includes a patient interview and physical exam. Your doctor will look at pelvic and hip motion and check muscles and tendons for areas of tenderness. Following a clinical exam, imaging studies including X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans can be used to help diagnose the precise nature of the condition and its cause.
Treatment of FAI
Once all of a patient’s test results are available, the doctors at Austin Sports Medicine are able to determine a personalized course of treatment. Treatment options can be non-surgical, including care with anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy. In other cases, where despite non-surgical treatment, hip pain is persistent or structural abnormalities of the hip have been identified, surgery may be recommended to restore normal hip motion.