Dr. Alexander G. Athey
Hip, Knee
“I have always had a good experience at JIS in New Albany. I was there for an annual follow up of my left hip replacement and scheduled to have the left hip done. Was treated respectfully and professionally.” — George B.
Reviewed by Dr. David Crawford
The hip is a ball and socket joint. It is made up of the femoral head and the acetabulum (the socket). The cartilage inside the joint protects the bones from rubbing together, which could lead to experiencing pain.
Hip impingement, also known as femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), is a condition where there is damage to the labrum or articular cartilage in the hip joint.
If you are experiencing hip pain, schedule an appointment with JIS Orthopedics today. We have offices conveniently located in New Albany and St. Clairsville, OH. Our hip specialists can help address any hip pain concerns that you may have!
Hip impingement occurs when there is deformity either in the ball part of the hip joint, called the femoral head, or the socket, known as the acetabulum. This is why the condition is also referred to as femoral acetabular impingement. There are two main causes of hip impingement: cam impingement and pincer impingement.
Cam impingement occurs when there is a deformity on the head of the femur bone. If the ball is not round, it can get jammed in the hip while the hip is bent.
Pincer impingement occurs if the front rim of the socket sticks out too far. During normal hip flexion, the femoral neck (the part below the head) can jam on the rim.
There can be some instances where there is a problem with both the ball and the socket. The following are some of the other causes of hip impingement.
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease can cause hip impingement. This disease causes restricted blood flow to the hip and the bone can eventually die.
Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) can occur in growing children, particularly when they are obese. The femoral head can separate from the rest of the femur at the growing end of the bone.
Coxa vara is a very rare condition where the femoral head and the rest of the femur grow at different rates, which leads to deformity.
The main symptoms of hip impingement include pain in the groin area and a decreased range of motion in the hip.
It’s possible to have hip impingement for many years without showing any symptoms, as it often does not cause pain in its early stages. When it does start to cause pain, the condition is referred to as hip impingement syndrome.
Symptoms may begin with pain when hip flexion reaches its upper limits. Over time, the pain may be felt during activities such as sitting down for extended periods or walking up a hill.
If you have pain at night or while walking on flat ground, this may be a sign that the cartilage is wearing away. This could also be an indication that you have started to develop osteoarthritis.
Your orthopedic doctor will use several diagnostic methods to determine if you have hip impingement.
First, your doctor will want to know what symptoms you are experiencing. Then they will perform a physical examination, testing your hip’s range of motion. And finally, they may request that you undergo some imaging tests.
Your orthopedic doctor may use the following imaging tests to diagnose hip impingement:
To treat hip impingement pain, you should start with non-surgical methods to keep the pain under control. The following treatment options can help manage your hip impingement pain:
If non-surgical treatments do not help in relieving pain, then your orthopedic doctor may recommend surgical treatment. The following surgical treatments are available for hip impingement:
If you are experiencing hip pain, schedule an appointment with JIS Orthopedics today. We have offices conveniently located in New Albany and St. Clairsville, OH. Our hip specialists are ready to help you relieve your hip pain!
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