If you are having hip or groin pain with activity, it could be FAI or Hip Impingement.

Were you or someone you know diagnosed with FAI or Hip Impingement and not sure what that means?

FAI stands for Femoral Acetabular Impingement. The hip is a ball and socket joint and impingement happens when there is an abnormal rubbing between the two surfaces. This can happen based on the shape of the joint. There can be an over coverage on the socket, a miss-shape of the ball, or often a combination of both. Impingement in adolescents or young adults can lead to a tear in the labrum or cartilage which causes pain in the hip or can cause early arthritis in the joint.
 

Physical therapy can often be a great way to treat symptoms including:

• Improving range of motion and decreasing soft tissue restrictions
• Strengthening the surrounding muscles to decrease load to the joint
• Learning to modify activities to avoid impingement.

Unfortunately, we cannot change the shape of the bone, so depending on the severity or age of the individual surgery is often required. The intent of the surgery is to correct the shape of the bone and then repair or replace the labrum in the hip. Patients are typically able to make a full return to sport or previous activities via arthroscopy (scope) surgery and following 4-6 months of rehab.

The best way to preserve the joint is to catch it early!
If you are having hip or groin pain with activity, see your local Peak physical therapist and get a diagnosis as early as possible.