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Femoroacetabular Impingement Research Paper

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Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a condition where the bones of the acetabulum are abnormally shaped, making them not fit together properly. This can be due to irregular growths of the femur and or the iliac spine. This abnormality, then causes the hip bones to rub together, leading to damage within the joint. There are three types of FAI: pincer, cam and combined impingement. Pincer impingement occurs because of an extra bony growth that extends over the normal rim of the acetabulum. Conversely, cam impingement is formed when the femoral head is not round and cannot rotate smoothly inside the acetabulum. Combined impingement is a combination of pincer and cam (Figure 1). The causes of FAI typically relate to abnormal formation of the …show more content…

Upon further evaluation, the athlete may state that they have sharp, stabbing pain that occurs with turning, twisting, and squatting. When one presents these symptoms to a physician, the physician will then perform the impingement test. If this test recreates their hip pain, it indicates that it is positive and the physician may require imaging tests to help determine if they have FAI. The most common imaging tests performed are x-rays, CT scans, and MRI scans. X-rays are primarily to see if any arthritis is present within the joint, whereas CT and MRI scans can see the shapes and structures within the …show more content…

Recent research has found that specific sports, such as soccer, have a higher incidence of abnormal bony features due to the high shear stress that is applied to the femoral head prior to the closure of the athlete’s growth plates. Indicating that Cam impingements occur during skeletal maturation and high-impact sports practice.1 Again it can be assumed that the athlete had been partaking in such practices for quite some time, making him a ‘typical’ case. However, this athlete also had a labrum tear present. This could be due to playing on an FAI for many years, causing additional stresses to the tissues surrounding the hip

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