Can FAI be treated without surgery?

Many people maintain an active lifestyle despite the presence of FAI, performing activity without having any hip pain. By the time symptoms develop, some damage to the hip labrum has usually occurred, and the damage may progress with repeated use. The reason athletes are often diagnosed with FAI is because they overuse the joint in extreme ranges of motion, which damages the labrum and causes hip pain. In mild to moderate cases, FAI pain can be treated without surgery.

Non-operative treatment of FAI involves activity modification to avoid movements that cause hip pain. Rest and recovery is important, as well as using over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications to reduce pain and inflammation. Physical therapy and home exercise to work on range of motion, flexibility, and conditioning of the hip can also be incorporated into conservative treatment strategies. Typically, symptoms will resolve within several weeks of conservative, non-surgical treatment. Injection therapy with steroid can also help relieve hip pain. If the hip pain resolves with non-operative treatment allowing for a return to the desired level of activity, then no FAI surgery is needed.

What are the surgical options for FAI?

When conservative measures no longer provide lasting relief of symptoms and imaging confirms FAI with an associated hip labral tear, hip surgery is a reasonable option. FAI surgery can be performed as a minimally invasive procedure known as hip arthroscopy. FAI surgery is usually an outpatient procedure, with discharge home the same day. FAI surgery is performed to remove the abnormal bone growth causing the hip impingement and to repair the torn labrum. On rare occasions, which are more commonly associated with revision hip surgery, a labral reconstruction may be required. Surgery typically lasts about 1-2 hours. Hip surgery is customized for each patient based on each patient’s unique hip anatomy and hip condition.