Hip Femoro-Acetabular Impingement (FAI)

What is FAI?

• Femoroacetabular impingement or FAI is a condition of too much friction in the hip joint. 
• Basically, the ball (femoral head) and socket (acetabulum) rub abnormally creating damage to the hip joint. 
• The damage can occur to the articular cartilage (smooth white surface of the ball or socket) or the labral cartilage (soft tissue bumper of the socket).
• FAI is associated with cartilage damage, labral tears, early hip arthritis, hyperlaxity, sports hernias, and low back pain.
• FAI is common in high level athletes, but also occurs in active individuals.
  

Types of FAI

• FAI generally occurs as two forms: Cam and Pincer. 
• The Cam form describes the femoral head and neck relationship as aspherical or not perfectly round. 
• This loss of roundness contributes to abnormal contact between the head and socket. 
• The Pincer form describes the situation where the socket or acetabulum has too much coverage of the ball or femoral head. 
• This over-coverage typically exists along the front-top rim of the socket (acetabulum) and results in the labral cartilage being “pinched” between the rim of the socket and the anterior femoral head-neck junction. 
• The Pincer form of the impingement is typically secondary to “retroversion”, a turning back of the socket, or “profunda”, a socket that is too deep.
• Most of the time, the Cam and Pincer forms exist together.

Symptoms

• Groin pain
• Anterior and/or lateral hip pain
  

Please note that the information contained herein is for general medical information only.
If you have any specific medical condition or queries, please consult your medical doctor.

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