Pathologic Findings on Hip Arthroscopy in High-Level Athletes Competing in Flexibility Sports
Authors
Saks BR, Monahan PF, Maldonado DR, Jimenez AE, Ankem HK, Sabetian PW, Lall AC, Domb BG
Journal
Am J Sports Med, March 2022
Background
Athletes in flexibility sports (FS) often place their hips under significant stress due to the extreme range of motion required. Understanding the pathologic findings in these athletes is crucial for effective treatment.
Methods
- This study compared high-level FS athletes undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and labral tears with athletes from non-flexibility sports (NFS).
- Pathologic findings, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and return-to-sport (RTS) rates were assessed and compared after surgery.
Key Findings
- FS athletes had higher rates of femoral head cartilage lesions (12% vs 2%) and ligamentum teres tears (48% vs 26%) compared to NFS athletes.
- Both FS and NFS athletes showed significant improvement in PROs post-surgery.
- 75.6% of FS athletes were able to return to sport, which was similar to NFS athletes (P = 0.073).
Conclusions
Despite higher rates of cartilage lesions and ligamentum teres tears in FS athletes, both FS and NFS athletes showed similar improvements in outcomes and RTS rates post-arthroscopy.
What Does This Mean For Patients
If you participate in flexibility sports and experience hip pain or labral tears, hip arthroscopy may provide significant improvements in function and allow a successful return to sport.