Joint-Related Hip Pain
Femoroacetabular Impingement
Refers to variations in hip joint morphology. These lesions lead to compressive forces that act on the labrum and chondral surfaces.
Labral Pathology
Involves the ring of carriage (labrum) that follows the outside rim of your hip joint socket. FAI is associated with labral tears, which can directly impact joint health.
Chondropathy
Structural changes in hip articular cartilage. It is disruption of synovial fluid and distribution of loads on chondral surfaces impact chondral health.
Hip pain is common in active young to middle aged men and women. In general populations estimates of prevalence range from 7% in adolescents to 14% in older adults. First line treatment of hip joint pain usually comprises of conservative management. Surgical management may be included in order to obtain resolution of symptoms if conservative treatment hasn’t succeeded. Although pain outcomes for hip arthroscopy appear positive, recent studies have reported reduced hip muscle strength and hip joint range of motion following hip arthroscopy. Rehabilitation should include hip muscle strengthening, restoration of neuromuscular control and unloading the damaged & vulnerable structures.
How do we manage it?
References:
Christmas, C., Crespo, C. J., Franckowiak, S. C., Bathon, J. M., Bartlett, S. J., & Andersen, R. E. (2002). How common is hip pain among older adults. J Fam Pract, 51(4), 346-348.
Kemp, J. L., Collins, N. J., Makdissi, M., Schache, A. G., Machotka, Z., & Crossley, K. (2012). Hip arthroscopy for intra-articular pathology: a systematic review of outcomes with and without femoral osteoplasty. British journal of sports medicine, 46(9), 632-643.
Kemp, J. L., Schache, A. G., Makdissi, M., Pritchard, M. G., & Crossley, K. M. (2013). People with chondropathy have greater physical impairments than those without following hip arthroscopy. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 21, S274.
By Lloyd Evans.