Femoral acetabular impingement (FAI) is a medical condition where there is too much friction in the hip joint. If we look at it closer, the femoral head or ball and the acetabulum or socket abnormally rub resulting to damage in the hip joint. The injury can happen in the exterior of the socket or ball or even on the soft tissue which serves as cushion of the socket.
This medical condition can occur in two forms and that is the Pincer and the Cam. The former occurs when the socket has too much exposure of the ball. This over exposure usually happens at the top front rim of the socket resulting to the labral coverage being pinched between the anterior ball and the rim of the socket. The latter happens when the ball or femoral head and neck is not perfectly round. This loss of normal roundness is cause by the abnormal contact between the socket and the head. These two forms often exist together and are known as mixed impingement.
This condition is often common in highly active individuals and athletes. FAI is often linked to low back pain, sports hernias, hyperlaxity, early hip arthritis, labral tears and cartilage damage.
Patients are diagnosed through its medical history, complete physical exam and an X-ray. Patients medical history often consist of the symptoms feel like pain in hip or loss of motion in the hip. Physical exam is there to confirm the patient’s medical history and remove other causes of hip pain while the X-ray will determine the shape of the socket and ball and evaluate the amount of space in the joint. Less space in the joint often means more arthritis.
Individuals who suffer from FAI complains of lower back pain and is often felt in the sacroiliac joint in the back of the pelvis, greater trochanter or the buttock. However FAI pain does not usually extend beyond the knee. There are other medical condition that can be confuse with FAI like Chronic pain syndrome, hip dysplasia, low back pain, lumbar radiculopathy, sacroiliitis, Piriformis syndrome, hip flexor inflammation and many more. A study conducted regarding femoral acetabular impingement as a cause for osteoarthritis of the hip (Clinical Orthopaedics & Related Research 2003).
The cause of FAI is not known although it is often associated with activities like horseback riding, ice hockey, yoga, football, soccer, golf, martial arts, surfing, bike riding, field hockey and many more. No one can tell whether the condition is congenital or just develops during growths. It is likely a mixture of environment and genetics.
Non-surgical form of treatment management of FAI is possible although it involves change in lifestyle mostly from active to less active. Non-surgical management does not really change the abnormal hip and this might add to further hip degeneration.
Surgical treatment can be done through hip arthroscopy or open surgery. Discuss with your doctor the details of such surgical procedures and know the risks too it brings. Recovery from surgery is about three to four months. Postoperative activity often depends on the surgeon’s recommendation, the kind of surgery done and the condition of the hip joint during the surgery.