What is femoroacetabular impingement?
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), also known as hip impingement, happens when one or more of the bones in your hip joint have an unusual shape, allowing them to pinch or rub against each other. Over time, this friction can cause damage, resulting in hip and groin discomfort and limiting your flexibility and mobility.
Left untreated, FAI can damage the cartilage that cushions the hip joint, leading to arthritis or painful joint deterioration. Surgery is sometimes required to repair the damage. Hip impingement can cause pain at any age, but it’s most common in people from their mid-teens to their 40s or 50s.
Hip impingement symptoms
Hip impingement often starts with mild symptoms, which can remain minimal for years, but as it progresses, pain and limitations can interfere with daily activities.
Common signs include pain in the groin or hip, which may also extend to the buttock, knee, lower back or thigh. Pain is often triggered by exercise or sitting cross-legged.
Signs and symptoms may include:
- Clicking, popping or catching sensation in the hip
- Pain
- Limping
When to see a doctor for hip impingement
If your hip pain is minor, self-care can help. But if your discomfort persists even after rest and pain-relieving medication, it might be time to see your doctor. The longer your pain goes untreated, the more damage impingement can cause in the hip.
At Baylor Scott & White, you have access to orthopedic specialists who can determine the cause of your pain and provide the care and treatment you need to get back to your active life.
What causes hip impingement?
The hip joint is made up of a ball and a socket. The ball—the rounded head of the femur—fits inside the socket —the acetabulum. Hip impingement happens when either the ball or socket, or both, are irregularly shaped and rub against one another, damaging the protective layer of cartilage and causing pain.
Hip impingement risk factors
It’s not totally clear what causes the irregular shape of the hip bones associated with hip impingement. Genetic factors may play a role. Another risk factor may be excessive athletic activity in childhood when bones are still growing.
Hip impingement is common in competitive athletes, and some sports may aggravate hip impingement than others. But you don’t have to be a professional athlete or even a serious amateur to develop hip impingement. It can impact anyone at any age, especially if you’re in your 20s to 40s.
Risk factors for hip impingement include:
- Participation in intense sports, such as martial arts, ballet, football, hockey, baseball, rugby and soccer, especially in childhood
- Activities that require deep squats, such as powerlifting
- High physical activity level
Complications of femoroacetabular impingement
When femoroacetabular impingement is left untreated, it can lead to long-term complications such as osteoarthritis, which is the breakdown of cartilage in the joint, and labral damage, where the tissue that absorbs shock in the hip is harmed, causing stiffness and pain. These issues can result in severe discomfort and reduced mobility.
