Aims. Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) patients report exacerbation of hip pain in deep flexion. However, the exact impingement location in deep flexion is unknown. The aim was to investigate impingement-free maximal flexion, impingement location, and if cam deformity causes hip impingement in flexion in FAI patients. Methods. A retrospective study involving 24 patients (37 hips) with FAI and femoral retroversion (femoral version (FV) < 5° per Murphy method) was performed. All patients were symptomatic (mean age 28 years (SD 9)) and had anterior hip/groin pain and a positive anterior impingement test. Cam- and pincer-type subgroups were analyzed. Patients were compared to an asymptomatic control group (26 hips). All patients underwent pelvic CT scans to generate personalized CT-based 3D models and validated software for patient-specific impingement simulation (equidistant method). Results. Mean impingement-free flexion of patients with mixed-type FAI (110° (SD 8°)) and patients with pincer-type FAI (112° (SD 8°)) was significantly (p < 0.001) lower compared to the control group (125° (SD 13°)). The frequency of extra-articular subspine impingement was significantly (p < 0.001) increased in patients with pincer-type FAI (57%) compared to cam-type FAI (22%) in 125° flexion. Bony impingement in maximal flexion was located anterior-inferior at femoral four and five o’clock position in patients with cam-type FAI (63% (10 of 16 hips) and 37% (6 of 10 hips)), and did not involve the cam deformity. The cam deformity did not cause impingement in maximal flexion. Conclusion. Femoral impingement in maximal flexion was located anterior-inferior distal to the cam deformity. This differs to previous studies, a finding which could be important for FAI patients in order to avoid exacerbation of hip pain in deep flexion (e.g. during squats) and for hip arthroscopy (hip-preservation surgery) for planning of bone resection. Hip impingement in flexion has implications for daily activities (e.g. putting on shoes), sports, and sex. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2023;12(1):22–32

Summary Statement. This study quantifies compositional differences in cartilage between CAM deformities of symptomatic FAI patients and normal cadaver controls. It shows a resemblance of CAM-FAI cartilage with those of osteoarthritic hips, objectively supporting previous hypothesis of abnormal contact stresses in CAM-FAI. Introduction. Degeneration of cartilage within articular joints is a pathological feature of osteoarthritis (OA). Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), a condition of abnormal contact between the articular surfaces of the femur and acetabulum, has been widely associated with early onset OA of the hip. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively compare the proteoglycan (PG) content of the weight-bearing cartilage in surgical FAI patients versus those of cadavers without FAI. Patients and Methods. Osteochondral bone plugs were taken from the antero-superior weight-bearing surface of cam-deformities on the femoral heads of 11 surgical cam-FAI patients. These were compared to control specimens taken from 11 cadaveric hips (7 donors) at approximately the same location. The PG content of the specimens were then histologically compared using the model presented by Martin et al. In this method, Safranin-O binds to chondroitin sulfate, a PG abundant in cartilage, allowing it to be visualised and quantitatively compared. Specifically, the specimens were fixed in formalin, decalcified in EDTA and then sectioned to 7um thick. They were then stained with Safranin-O, which binds specifically and stoichiometrically with proteoglycan. This model allows for quantitative comparison of PG content whereby the red content (R. c. ) of the sample is linearly correlated with the amount of PG present in the sample when viewed under 4x microscopic magnification. Here, the red content was sampled by depth coordinate with superficial and deep zones analyzed. Results. In general, the R. C. in the cartilage of surgical patients was lower than that of the cadaveric controls in both the superficial and deep layers tested. This correlates to a decrease in the PG of the test subjects. In the surgical specimens, R. C. ranged from 0 – 31.9 in the superficial layer and 0 – 139.6 in the deep. When compared by layers, the R. C. of the superficial 30% specimens averaged an R. C. of 17.5 compared to 88.6 in the cadaveric controls. This represents an 80.2% depletion in the PG content. In the deep 70% layer, the average R. C. of the test subjects was 52.4, compared with 129.2 in the cadaveric controls. This represents a 59% depletion in the PG content of the deep layer. These results show large compositional change in the cartilage of surgical FAI versus control specimens that were statistically significant in all levels (superficial, deep, total yielding p<0.001, p=0.001, p<0.001, respectively). Discussion. The idea of abnormal cartilage at the cam deformity has been previously demonstrated through similar resection and staining techniques. Wagner et al showed cellular activity and qualitatively noted PG depletion in the cartilage on the Cam deformity, consistent with OA. However a quantitative assessment of PG content provides a better estimate of impingement severity and disease state. Results from this current study objectively corroborate previously obtained qualitative data, supporting existing hypothesis of abnormal contact stresses in cam-FAI while giving a more robust, objective quantification of cartilage breakdown at CAM sites

Introduction: Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is an important cause of hip pain in young adults and a precursor to osteoarthritis. Morphological abnormality of either the acetabulum, proximal femur, or both, may result in FAI. The majority of patients however, have a cam deformity of the proximal femur. From a research perspective, FAI is an example of how subtle morphological abnormality results in a predictable pattern of cartilage damage, and thereby offers great potential as a model to study early degenerative disease and for clinical trials of joint preserving treatments. Accurate classification of the morphology of the hip is essential for this further study. The aim of this study was to define normal, borderline, and abnormal parameters for the morphology of the proximal femur, in the context of the cam deformity, by studying asymptomatic individuals with normal clinical examination and no osteoarthritis from the general population. Methods: 157 individuals (79 male, 78 female, mean age 46 years) with no previous history of hip problems were recruited. The participants were the spouses/partners of patients involved in a cohort study of osteoarthritis and FAI. All participants underwent clinical (interview, examination, and hip scores) and radiological assessment (standardised AP Pelvic and cross-table lateral radiographs of each hip). Radiographs were scored for the presence of osteoarthritis, and the morphology of the proximal femur was analysed. The alpha angle, anterior offset ratio, presence of a cam ‘bump’, synovial herniation pit were recorded in each hip. Results: 21 subjects were excluded because they either had positive clinical features or radiological evidence of osteoarthritis (equivalent to a Kellgren and Lawrence grade of 2). From the remaining 136 subjects, with essentially ‘normal hips from the general population’, mean values for the alpha angle and anterior offset ratio were generated. Borderline and Abnormal values are suggested. Gender differences were noted with higher mean alpha angles and lower offset ratios occurring in men. Discussion: Although it has limitations, standardised plain radiography remains the cheapest and most convenient way to screen an individual for the presence of a cam deformity. Despite the recent interest in FAI, our knowledge of what is normal in the general population, as assessed using appropriate radiographic techniques, is modest. The ranges provided by this study will facilitate the accurate classification of subjects with FAI, thereby providing guidance for surgeons treating such patients, and also enable the generation of refined cohorts for the study of the natural history of subtle morphological abnormalities of the hip, and for enrolment in clinical trials

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) results from a morphological deformity of the hip and is associated with osteoarthritis (OA). Increased bone mineral density (BMD) is observed in the antero-superior acetabulum rim where impingement occurs. It is hypothesized that the repeated abnormal contact leads to damage of the cartilage layer, but could also cause a bone remodelling response according to Wolff's Law. Thus the goal of this study was to assess the relationship between bone metabolic activity measured by PET and BMD measured in CT scans. Five participants with asymptomatic cam deformity, three patients with uni-lateral symptomatic cam FAI and three healthy controls were scanned in a 3T PET-MRI scanner following injection with [18F]NaF. Bone remodelling activity was quantified with Standard Uptake Values (SUVs). SUVmax was analyzed in the antero-superior acetabular rim, femoral head and head-neck junction. In these same regions, BMD was calculated from CT scans using the calibration phantom included in the scan. The relationship between SUVmax and BMD from corresponding regions was assessed using the coefficient of determination (R. 2. ) from linear regression. High bone activity was seen in the cam deformity and acetabular rim. SUVmax was negatively correlated with BMD in the antero-superior region of the acetabulum (R. 2. =0.30, p=0.08). SUVmax was positively correlated with BMD in the antero-superior head-neck junction of the femur (R. 2. =0.359, p=0.067). Correlations were weak in other regions. Elevated bone turnover was seen in patients with a cam deformity but the relationship to BMD was moderate. This study demonstrates a pathomechanism of hip degeneration associated with FAI deformities, consistent with Wolff's law and the proposed mechanical cause of hip degeneration in FAI. [18F]-NaF PET SUV may be a biomarker of degeneration, especially in early stages of degeneration, when joint preservation surgery is likely to be the most successful

Purpose. To determine the differences of biomechanical properties in three conditions including 1) native cam deformity 2) cam deformity with incomplete resection and 3) cam deformity with complete resection. Methods. A cadaveric study was performed using 8 frozen, hemi-pelvises with cam-type deformity (alpha angle >55°) measured on CT scan and an intact labrum. Intraarticular pressure maps were produced for each specimen under the following conditions: 1) native cam deformity, 2) cam deformity with incomplete resection and 3) cam deformity with complete resection. A 5.5-mm burr was used to resect the lateral portion of the cam deformity to a depth of 3–4 mm. The specimen was placed in a custom designed jig in the MTS electromechanical test system to create pressure and area map measurements. In each condition, three biomechanical parameters were obtained including contact pressure, contact area and peak force within a region-of-interest (ROI). Repeated measurements were performed for three times in each condition and the average value of each parameter was used for statistical analysis. ANOVA was used to compare biomechanical parameters between three conditions. Results. Repeated measures ANOVA analysis demonstrated that the pressures averages of hips with complete resection of cam lesions were significantly lower when compared to averages of hips with incomplete femoral cam lesion and intact cam deformity (2.48. +. 0.56 kg/cm. 3. vs 2.32. +. 0.50 kg/cm. 3. vs 2.02. +. 0.54 kg/cm. 3. , respectively; p-value=0.01). Percentage reduction of contact pressure in the complete resection and incomplete resection groups compared to the native CAM deformity groups were 18.49% and 1.58% respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in contact pressures between the incomplete resection and unoperated groups. Contact area and peak force showed no statistically significant differences across three conditions. Conclusion. There are lower intraarticular hip contract pressures in complete resection of the cam lesions when compared to an incomplete resection and intact hip without resection. These observations underscore the importance of ensuring complete resection of femoral cam lesions in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome. For any tables or figures, please contact the authors directly

Arthroscopic hip procedures have increased dramatically over the last decade as equipment and techniques have improved. Patients who require hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement on occasion require surgery on the contralateral hip. Previous studies have found that younger age of presentation and lower Charlson comorbidity index have higher risk for requiring surgery on the contralateral hip but have not found correlation to anatomic variables. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the factors that predispose a patient to requiring subsequent hip arthroscopy on the contralateral hip. This is an IRB-approved, single surgeon retrospective cohort study from an academic, tertiary referral centre. A chart review was conducted on 310 primary hip arthroscopy procedures from 2009-2020. We identified 62 cases that went on to have a hip arthroscopy on the contralateral side. The bilateral hip arthroscopy cohort was compared to unilateral cohort for sex, age, BMI, pre-op alpha angle and centre edge angle measured on AP pelvis XRay, femoral torsion, traction time, skin to skin time, Tonnis grade, intra-op labral or chondral defect. A p-value <0.05 was deemed significant. Of the 62 patients that required contralateral hip arthroscopy, the average age was 32.7 compared with 37.8 in the unilateral cohort (p = 0.01) and BMI was lower in the bilateral cohort (26.2) compared to the unilateral cohort (27.6) (p=0.04). The average alpha angle was 76.3. 0. in the bilateral compared to 66. 0. in the unilateral cohort (p = 0.01). Skin to skin time was longer in cases in which a contralateral surgery was performed (106.3 mins vs 86.4 mins) (p=0.01). Interestingly, 50 male patients required contralateral hip arthroscopy compared to 12 female patients (p=0.01). No other variables were statistically significant. In conclusion, this study does re-enforce existing literature by stating that younger patients are more likely to require contralateral hip arthroscopy. This may be due to the fact that these patients require increased range of motion from the hip joint to perform activities such as sports where as older patients may not need the same amount of range of motion to perform their activities. Significantly higher alpha angles were noted in patients requiring contralateral hip arthroscopy, which has not been shown in previous literature. This helps to explain that larger CAM deformities will likely require contralateral hip arthroscopy because these patients likely impinge more during simple activities of daily living. Contralateral hip arthroscopy is also more common in male patients who typically have a larger CAM deformity. In summary, this study will help to risk stratify patients who will likely require contralateral hip arthroscopy and should be a discussion point during pre-operative counseling. That offering early subsequent or simultaneous hip arthroscopy in young male patients with large CAMs should be offered when symptoms are mild

Outcomes following different types of surgical intervention for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) are well reported individually but comparative data are deficient. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis to analyze the outcomes following surgical management of FAI by hip arthroscopy (HA), anterior mini open approach (AMO), and surgical hip dislocation (SHD). This SR was registered with PROSPERO. An electronic database search of PubMed, Medline, and EMBASE for English and German language articles over the last 20 years was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We specifically analyzed and compared changes in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), α-angle, rate of complications, rate of revision, and conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA). A total of 48 articles were included for final analysis with a total of 4,384 hips in 4,094 patients. All subgroups showed a significant correction in mean α angle postoperatively with a mean change of 28.8° (95% confidence interval (CI) 21 to 36.5; p < 0.01) after AMO, 21.1° (95% CI 15.1 to 27; p < 0.01) after SHD, and 20.5° (95% CI 16.1 to 24.8; p < 0.01) after HA. The AMO group showed a significantly higher increase in PROMs (3.7; 95% CI 3.2 to 4.2; p < 0.01) versus arthroscopy (2.5; 95% CI 2.3 to 2.8; p < 0.01) and SHD (2.4; 95% CI 1.5 to 3.3; p < 0.01). However, the rate of complications following AMO was significantly higher than HA and SHD. All three surgical approaches offered significant improvements in PROMs and radiological correction of cam deformities. All three groups showed similar rates of revision procedures but SHD had the highest rate of conversion to a THA. Revision rates were similar for all three revision procedures

Cam-type femoroacetabular impingement is caused by bone excess on the femoral neck abutting the acetabular rim. This can cause cartilage and labral damage due to increased contact pressure as the cam moves into the acetabulum. However, the damage mechanism and the influence of individual mechanical factors (such as sliding distance) are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to identify the cam sliding distance during impingement for different activities in the hip joint. Motion data for 12 different motion activities from 18 subjects, were applied to a hip shape model (selected as most likely to cause damage, anteriorly positioned with a maximum alpha angle of 80°). The model comprised of a pointwise representation of the acetabular rim and points on the femoral head and neck where the shape deviated from a sphere (software:Matlab). The movement of each femoral point was tracked in 3D while an activity motion was applied, and impingement recorded when overlap between a cam point and the acetabular rim occurred. Sliding distance was recorded during impingement for each relevant femoral point. Angular sliding distances varied for different activities. The highest mean (±SD) sliding distance was for leg-crossing (42.62±17.96mm) and lowest the trailing hip in golf swing (2.17±1.11mm). The high standard deviation in the leg crossing sliding distances, indicates subjects may perform this activity in a different manner. This study quantified sliding distance during cam impingement for different activities. This is an important parameter for determining how much the hip moves during activities that may cause damage and will provide information for future experimental studies

Femoro-acetabular impingement involves a deformity of the hip joint and is associated with hip osteoarthritis. Although 15% of the asymptomatic population exhibits a deformity, it is not clear who will develop symptoms. Current diagnostic imaging measures have either low specificity or low sensitivity and do not consider the dynamic nature of impingement during daily activities. The goal of this study is to determine stresses in the cartilage, subchondral bone and labrum of normal and impinging hips during activities such as walking and sitting down. Quantitative CT scans were obtained of a healthy Control and a participant with a symptomatic femoral cam deformity (‘Bump’). 3D models of the hip were created from automatic segmentation of CT scans. Cartilage layers were added so the articular surface was the mid-line of the joint. Finite element meshes were generated in each region. Bone elastic modulus was assigned element-by-element, calculated from CT intensity converted to bone mineral density using a calibration phantom. Cartilage was modelled as poroelastic, E=0.467 MPa, v=0.167, and permeability 3×10. -16. m. 4. /N s. The pelvis was fixed while rotations and contact forces from Bergmann et al. (2001) were applied to the femur over one load cycle for walking and sitting in a chair. All analyses were performed in FEBio. High shear stresses were seen near the acetabular cartilage-labrum junction in the Bump model, up to 0.12 MPa for walking and were much higher than in the Control. Patient-specific modelling can be used to assess contact and tissue stresses during different activities to better understand the risk of degeneration in individuals, especially for activities that involve high hip flexion. The high stresses at the cartilage labrum interface could explain so-called bucket-handle tears of the labrum

Hip Osteoarthritis (HOA) is the most common joint disorder and a major cause of disability in the adult population, leading to total hip replacement (THR). Recently, evidence has mounted for a prominent etiologic role of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) in the development of early OA in the non-dysplastic hip. FAI is a pathological mechanical process, caused by abnormalities of the acetabulum and/or femur leading to damage the soft tissue structures. FAI can determine chondro-labral damage and groin pain in young adults and can accelerate HOA progression in middle-aged adults. The aim of the study was to determine if the presence of calcium crystal in synovial fluid (SF) at the time of FAI surgery affects the clinical outcomes to be used as diagnostic and predictive biomarker. 49 patients with FAI undergoing arthroscopy were enrolled after providing informed consent; 37 SFs were collected by arthrocentesis at the time of surgery and 35 analyzed (66% males), median age 35 years with standard deviation (SD) 9.7 and body mass index (BMI) 23.4 kg/m. 2. ; e SD 3. At the time of surgery, chondral pathology using the Outerbridge score, labral pathology and macroscopic synovial pathology based on direct arthroscopic visualization were evaluated. Physical examination and clinical assessment using the Hip disability & Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) were performed at the time of surgery and at 6 months of follow up. As positive controls of OA signs, SF samples were also collected from cohort of 15 patients with HOA undergoing THR and 12 were analysed. 45% FAI patients showed CAM deformity; 88% presented labral lesion or instability and 68% radiographic labral calcification. 4 patients out of 35 showed moderate radiographic signs of OA (Kellegren-Lawrence score = 3). Pre-operative HOOS median value was 61.3% (68.10-40.03) with interquartile range (IQR) of 75-25% and post-operative HOOS median value 90% with IQR 93.8-80.60. In both FAI and OA patients the calcium crystal level in SFs negatively correlated with glycosaminoglycan (component of the extracellular matrix) released, which is a marker of cartilage damage (Spearman rho=-0.601, p<0.001). In FAI patients a worst articular function after surgery, measured with the HOOS questionnaire, was associated with both acetabular and femoral chondropathy and degenerative labral lesion. Moreover, radiographic labral calcification was also significantly associated with pain, worst articular function and labral lesion. Calcium crystal level in SFs was associated with labral lesions and OA signs. We concluded that the levels of calcium crystals in FAI patients are correlated with joint damage, OA signs and worst post-operative outcome. The presence of calcium crystals in SF of FAI patients might be a potential new biomarker that might help clinicians to make an early diagnosis, evaluate disease progression and monitor treatment response

Osteochondroplasty procedure for cam deformity provides excellent outcomes on alleviating pain, improving quality of life and clinical function in femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) patients. Although medium-term outcomes on gait biomechanics have been reported, it is unclear how it would translate to better hip muscle forces and joint loading in high range of motion tasks. The purpose of this study was to compare the muscle forces and hip joint contact forces (HCF) during a squat task in individuals before and after cam-FAIS surgical correction. Ten cam-FAIS patients prior and 2-years after osteochondroplasty, and 10 BMI- age- and sex-matched healthy control participants (CTRL) underwent 3D motion and ground reaction forces capture while performing a deep squatting task. Muscle and HCF were estimated using musculoskeletal modeling and comparisons were done using statistical parametric mapping (SPM). Postoperatives squatted down with a higher anterior pelvic tilt and higher hip flexion compared with the preoperatives. Preoperative semimembranosus generated lower forces than the two other groups on the squat ascending, with no differences detected between post-ops and CTRLs. Preoperatives also showed reduced forces for the distal, ischial and medial portions of the adductor magnus relative to the CTRLs, which although reduced, still presented differences postoperatively. Preoperative anterior and medial contact forces were significantly lower than the CTRL group during both phases of the squat. Postoperative vertical and medial forces were also lower compared to the CTRLs. However, with higher vertical forces during the ascent phase of the squat compared to the preoperative, the postoperative group, significantly increased its HCF magnitude. A higher anterior pelvic tilt was associated with an innate restoration of the pelvis position, once the cam deformity no longer existed. The increased force of the semimembranosus muscle while ascending the squat generated higher vertical HCF, which also influenced the increased HCF total magnitude. For any tables or figures, please contact the authors directly

The literature indicates that femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) patients do not return to the level of controls (CTRL) following surgery. The purpose of this study was to compare hip biomechanics during stair climbing tasks in FAI patients before and two years after undergoing corrective surgery against healthy controls (CTRL). A total of 27 participants were included in this study. All participants underwent CT imaging at the local hospital, followed by three-dimensional motion analysis done at the human motion biomechanics laboratory at the local university. Participants who presented a cam deformity >50.5° in the oblique-axial or >60° in the radial planes, respectively, and who had a positive impingement test were placed in the FAI group (n=11, age=34.1±7.4 years, BMI=25.4±2.7 kg/m2). The remaining participants had no cam deformity and negative impingement test and were placed in the CTRL group (n=16, age=33.2±6.4 years, BMI=26.3±3.2 kg/m2). The CTRL group completed the biomechanics protocol once, whereas the FAI group completed the protocol twice, once prior to undergoing corrective surgery for the cam FAI, and the second time at approximately two years following surgery. At the human motion biomechanics laboratory, participants were outfitted with 45 retroreflective markers placed according to the UOMAM marker set. Participants completed five trials of stairs task on a three step instrumented stair case to measure ground reaction forces while 10 Vicon MX-13 cameras recorded the marker trajectories. Data was processed using Nexus software and divided into stair ascent and stair descent tasks. The trials were imported into custom written MatLab software to extract peak pelvis and hip kinematics and hip kinetic variables. Non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to determine significant (p < 0.05) differences between the groups. No significant differences occurred during the stair descent task between any of the groups. During the stair ascent task, the CTRL group had significantly greater peak hip flexion angle (Pre-Op=58±7.1°, Post-Op=58.1±6.6°, CTRL=64.1±5.1°) and sagittal hip range of motion (ROM) (Pre-Op=56.7±6.7°, Post-Op=56.3±5.5°, CTRL=61.7±4.2°) than both the pre- and post-operative groups. Pre-operatively, the FAI group had significantly less peak hip adduction angle (Pre-Op=2±4.5°, Post-Op=3.4±4.4°, CTRL=5.5±3.7°) and hip frontal ROM (Pre-Op=9.9±3.4°, Post-Op=11.9±5.4°, CTRL=13.4±2.5°) compared to the CTRL group. No significant differences occurred in the kinetic variables. Our findings are in line with the Rylander and colleagues (2013) who also found that hip sagittal ROM did not improve following corrective surgery. Their study included a mix of cam and pincer-type FAI, and had a mean follow-up of approximately one year. Our cohort included only cam FAI and they had a mean follow-up of approximately two years, indicating with the extra year, the patients still did not show sagittal hip kinematics improvement. In the frontal plane, there was no significant difference between the post-op and the CTRL, indicating that the postoperative FAI reached the level of the CTRLs. This is in line with recent work that indicates a more medialized hip contact force vector following surgery, suggesting better hip stabilization

With the growing number of individuals with asymptomatic cam-type deformities, elevated alpha angles alone do not always explain clinical signs of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Differences in additional anatomical parameters may affect hip joint mechanics, altering the pathomechanical process resulting in symptomatic FAI. The purpose was to examine the association between anatomical hip joint parameters and kinematics and kinetics variables, during level walking. Fifty participants (m = 46, f = 4; age = 34 ± 7 years; BMI = 26 ± 4 kg/m²) underwent CT imaging and were diagnosed as either: symptomatic (15), if they showed a cam deformity and clinical signs; asymptomatic (19), if they showed a cam deformity, but no clinical signs; or control (16), if they showed no cam deformity and no clinical signs. Each participant's CT data was measured for: axial and radial alpha angles, femoral head-neck offset, femoral neck-shaft angle, medial proximal femoral angle, femoral torsion, acetabular version, and centre-edge angle. Participants performed level walking trials, which were recorded using a ten-camera motion capture system (Vicon MX-13, Oxford, UK) and two force plates (Bertec FP4060–08, Columbus, OH, USA). Peak sagittal and frontal hip joint angles, range of motion, and moments were calculated using a custom programming script (MATLAB R2015b, Natick, MA, USA). A one-way, between groups ANOVA examined differences among kinematics and kinetics variables (α = 0.05), using statistics software (IBM SPSS v.23, Armonk, NY, USA); while a stepwise multiple regression analysis examined associations between anatomical parameters and kinematics and kinetics variables. No significant differences in kinematics were observed between groups. The symptomatic group demonstrated lower peak hip abduction moments (0.12 ± 0.08 Nm/kg) than the control group (0.22 ± 0.10 Nm/kg, p = 0.01). Sagittal hip range of motion showed a moderate, negative correlation with radial alpha angle (r = −0.33, p = 0.02), while peak hip abduction moment correlated with femoral neck-shaft angle (r = 0.36, p = 0.009) and negatively with femoral torsion (r = −0.36, p = 0.009). With peak hip abduction moment in the stepwise regression analysis, femoral torsion accounted for a variance of 13.3% (F(1, 48) = 7.38; p = 0.009), while together with femoral neck-shaft angle accounted for a total variance of 20.4% (R² change = 0.07, F(2, 47) = 6.01; p = 0.047). Although elevated radial alpha angles may have limited sagittal range of motion, the cam deformity parameters did not affect joint moments. Femoral neck-shaft angle and femoral torsion were significantly associated with peak hip abduction moment, suggesting that the insertion location of the abductor affects muscle's length and its resultant force vector. A varus neck angle, combined with severe femoral torsion, may ultimately influence muscle moment arms and hip mechanics in individuals with cam FAI

Abstract. Objectives. Outcomes following different types of surgical intervention for FAI are well reported individually but comparative data is deficient. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis to analyse the outcomes following surgical management of FAI by hip arthroscopy (HA), anterior mini open approach (AMO) and surgical hip dislocation (SHD). Methods. This SR was registered with PROSPERO. An electronic database search of Pubmed, Medline and EMBASE for English and German language articles over the last 20 years was carried out according to the PRISMA guidelines. We specifically analysed and compared changes in patient reported outcome measures PROMs, α-angle, rate of complications, rate of revision and conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA). Results. A total of 48 articles included for final analysis with a total of 4384 hips in 4094 patients. All subgroups showed a significant correction in mean alpha angle post-operatively with a mean change of 28.8° (95% CI, 21°-36.5°; p <0.01) after AMO, 21.1° (95% CI, 15.1°-27°; p <0.01) after SHD and 20.39° (95% CI, 15.66°-25.12°; p <0.01) after HA. AMO group showed a significantly higher increase in PROMs (3.7; 95% CI, 3.2–4.2; p <0.01) versus arthroscopy (2.47; 95% CI, 2.22–2.73; p <0.01) and SHD (2.4; 95% CI, 1.5–3.3; p <0.01). However, the rate of complications following AMO was significantly higher than HA and SHD. Conclusion. All three surgical approaches offered significant improvements in outcomes and radiological correction of cam deformities. All three groups showed similar rates of revision procedures and SHD had the highest rate of conversion to a THA. Revision rates was similar for all three revision procedures

Abstract. Introduction. Recent reports show that spinopelvic mobility influences outcome following total hip arthroplasty. This scoping review investigates the relationship between spinopelvic parameters (SPPs) and symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Methods. A systematic search of EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane for literature related to SPPs and FAI was undertaken as per PRISMA guidelines. Clinical outcome studies and prospective/retrospective studies investigating the role of SPPs in symptomatic FAI were included. Review articles, case reports and book chapters were excluded. Information extracted pertained to symptomatic cam deformities, pelvic tilt, acetabular version, biomechanics of dynamic movements and radiological FAI signs. Results. The search identified 42 papers for final analysis out of 1168 articles investigating the link between SPPs and pathological processes characteristic of FAI. Only one (2.4%) study was of level 1 evidence, five (11.9%) studies) were level 2, 17 (40.5%) were level 3 and 19 (45.2%) were level 4. Three studies associated FAI pathology with a greater pelvic incidence (PI), while four associated it with a smaller PI. Anterior pelvic tilt was associated with radiographic overcoverage parameters of FAI. In dynamic movements, decreased posterior pelvic tilt was a common feature in symptomatic FAI patients at increased hip flexion angles. FAI patients additionally demonstrated reduced sagittal pelvic ROM during dynamic hip flexion. Six studies found kinematic links between sagittal spinopelvic movement and sagittal and transverse plane hip movements. Conclusions. Our study shows that spinopelvic parameters can influence radiological and clinical manifestations of FAI, with pelvic incidence, acetabular version and muscular imbalances being aetiologically implicated. These factors may be amenable to non-surgical therapy. Individual spinopelvic mechanics may predispose to the development of FAI. If FAI pathoanatomy already exists, sagittal pelvic parameters can influence whether FAI symptoms develop and is an area of further research interest

Introduction and Objective. Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) is one of the most common hip disorders in children and is characterized by a proximal femoral deformity, resulting in early osteoarthritis. Several studies have suggested that SCFE patients after in situ fixation show an altered gait pattern. Early identification of gait alterations might lead to earlier intervention programs to prevent osteoarthritis. The aim of this study is to analyse gait alterations in SCFE patients after in situ fixation compared to typically developed children, using the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) system. Materials and Methods. This is a cross-sectional, multi-center case-control study in the Netherlands. Eight SCFE patients and eight age- and sex-matched typically developed were included from two hospitals. Primary outcomes were kinematic parameters (absolute joint angles), studied with gait analysis using statistical parametric mapping (SPM). Secondary outcomes were spatiotemporal parameters, the Notzli alpha angle, muscle activation patterns (EMG), and clinical questionnaires (VAS, Borg CR10, SF-36, and HOOS), analyzed using non-parametric statistical methods. Results. Patients (mean BMI=28±9 kg/m. 2. ) showed altered gait patterns, with significantly increased external hip rotation and decreased downward pelvic obliquity during the pre-swing phase of the gait cycle compared to typically developed (mean BMI=22±3 kg/m. 2. ). Walking speed, cadence, % stance time, and step length were reduced in SCFE patients. Coefficient of variances of cadence, stance time, and step length were increased. Patients had a mean alpha angle of 64, SD=7.9. Clinical questionnaires showed that general health (SF-36) was 80±25, energy/fatigue (SF-36) was 67±15, pain (VAS) was 0±1.5, and total HOOS score was 85±18. Conclusions. SCFE patients after in situ fixation appear to have developed a compensation mechanism, showing slight alterations in gait parameters, good general health, little functional limitations of the hip, and no self-reported pain. Cam deformities, altered joint loading, and this compensation mechanism might influence long-term early osteoarthritis. BMI reduction should be implemented in care plans, as obesity might also play a role in unfavorable long-term outcomes

Summary. The cartilage layer from cam-type femoroacetabular impingement deformities had lower stiffness and increased permeability compared to normal cartilage. This is consistent with osteoarthritis and supports the hypothesis of abnormal contact stresses. Introduction. Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) has recently been associated with osteoarthritic (OA) degeneration of the hip and may be responsible for up to 90% of adult idiopathic OA cases. FAI results from deformities in the hip joint which may lead to abnormal contact stresses and degeneration. The more common cam-type deformity consists of a convex anterior femoral head-neck junction which impinges the anterosuperior acetabular rim during flexion and internal rotation of the hip. Increased subchondral bone density has been reported in this region which may be a bone remodelling response to increased contact stress. The abnormal contact is expected to cause degeneration of the cartilage layer. The goal of this study was to assess the mechanical properties of cartilage retrieved from the cam deformity and to compare this with normal articular cartilage from the femoral head. It is hypothesised that the cartilage will have a lower elastic modulus and higher permeability than normal cartilage. Patients & Methods. Osteochondral biopsies were retrieved from nine patients undergoing surgical correction of a symptomatic cam deformity as well as 10 fresh cadaveric specimens (10 hips, 6 donors). An indentation stress relaxation test was performed on each specimen to 10% of the estimated cartilage thickness. A needle penetration test was performed to accurately measure the thickness. The equilibrium modulus was calculated per Hayes et al. A specimen-specific axisymmetric finite element model was used in a non-linear optimization to obtain the fibril-reinforced poroelastic properties of the cartilage that best fit the experimental data. The material properties were non-fibrillar modulus (E. s. ), Poisson's ratio (ν. s. ) and permeability (k) and strain-independent and –dependent moduli (E. 0. , E. ε. )[4]. Results. The equilibrium modulus was 0.14 MPa and 0.63 from surgical and cadaver specimens, respectively (p=0.002). Compared to cadaver specimens, E. s. in surgical specimens was 73% lower (p=0.01), ν. s. was 43% lower (p=0.01) and k was an order of magnitude higher (p=0.02). Fibril moduli were not significantly different (p>0.35). Discussion/Conclusions. This study showed decreased elastic modulus and increased permeability in cartilage from cam deformities compared to cadaver controls. These differences are consistent with changes expected in osteoarthritic cartilage degeneration. Fibril moduli were 14% to 57% lower in surgical specimens consistent with fibrillation, however results were not significant due to high variability. Altered cellular activity and proteoglycan depletion has been reported in cartilage of cam deformities, which are similar to changes expected in osteoarthritis. The altered mechanical and biochemical properties of this cartilage therefore support the hypothesis that osteoarthritis is secondary to cam FAI deformities and is a result of abnormal contact stresses between the deformity and acetabular rim

Chondral hip injuries are common secondary to femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Treatment with arthroscopic procedures including chondroplasty and microfracture is becoming increasingly common but literature is limited to case series at specialist centres. The aim of this study is to compare outcomes of arthroscopic acetabular chondral procedures using the NAHR dataset (UK) which represents the largest series to date. All adult Arthroscopies recorded in the NAHR from Jan 2012 were available for inclusion. Exclusions included significant arthritis and femoral, complex or revision chondral procedures. Patients completed iHOT-12 & EQ-5D Index pre-operatively, 6 and 12 months. Data was analysed using T-test/ANOVA for between group/within group for continuous variables, chi square test for categorical variables and linear regression model for multivariable analysis. 5,752 patients, 60% female. 27% Chondroplasty, 5% Microfracture, 68% no Chondral Procedure. Maximum acetabular Outerbridge classification 14% Grade 1, 15% Grade 2, 17% Grade 3, 8% Grade 4, 9% no damage, not recorded in 37%. Higher proportion of Cam impingement in association with chondral treatments and a larger proportion of patients with no impingement recorded in group with no chondral procedures. There was a significant improvement versus baseline for all groups in iHOT-12 and EQ-5D Index (p<0.0001) including Grade four Outerbridge. There was significantly greater improvement in pre-operative scores in the chondroplasty group compared to the microfracture group at 6 and 12 months (p<0.05). Following hip arthroscopy, patients with chondral procedures experienced improved outcome scores despite Outerbridge 4 chondral damage. Presence of cam lesions are more commonly associated with chondral treatments. Good outcomes were maintained up to 12 months for chondral procedures, regardless of age or impingement pathology however pincers improved less and patients over 40 years took longer to see improvement

Hip joint preservation remains a preferred treatment option for hips with mechanically correctable pathologies prior to the development of significant secondary arthrosis. The pathologies most amenable to joint preservation are hip dysplasia and femoroacetabular impingement. These pathologies sometimes overlap. Untreated acetabular dysplasia of modest severity always leads to arthrosis if uncorrected. Acetabular dysplasia is best treated by periacetabular osteotomy, usually combined with arthrotomy for management of labral pathology and associated cam-impingement if present. Pre-operative variables associated with the best long-term outcomes include less secondary arthrosis, younger age, and concentric articular surfaces. The earlier PAO series show 20 year survivorship of 81% and 65% in Tonnis Grade 0 and 1 hips. Femoroacetabular impingement has become progressively recognised as perhaps the most common cause of secondary arthrosis. The etiology of impingement is multifactorial and includes both genetic factors and stresses experienced by the hip prior to cessation of growth. Cam impingement can be quantified by the alpha angle as measured on plain radiographs and radial MR sequences. Cam impingement can be treated by arthroscopic or open femoral head-neck osteochondroplasty. As with hip dysplasia, prognosis following treatment is correlated with the severity of pre-operative secondary arthrosis but unfortunately impinging hips more commonly have some degree of arthrosis pre-operatively whereas dysplastic hips can become symptomatic with instability in the absence of arthrosis. The scientific basis for the treatment of pincer impingement is less strong. Unlike cam impingement and hip dysplasia, pincer impingement pathology in the absence of coxa profunda has not been correlated with arthrosis and so rim trimming with labral refixation is probably performed more often than is clinically indicated. Overall, joint preserving surgery remains the preferred treatment for hips with mechanically correctable problems prior to the development of significant secondary arthrosis

Hip joint preservation remains a preferred treatment option for hips with mechanically correctable pathologies prior to the development of significant secondary arthrosis. The pathologies most amenable to joint preservation are hip dysplasia and femoroacetabular impingement. These pathologies sometimes overlap. Untreated acetabular dysplasia of modest severity always leads to arthrosis if uncorrected. Acetabular dysplasia is best treated by periacetabular osteotomy, usually combined with arthrotomy for management of labral pathology and associated cam-impingement if present. Preoperative variables associated with the best long-term outcomes include less secondary arthrosis, younger age, and concentric articular surfaces. Femoroacetabular impingement has become progressively recognised as perhaps the most common cause of secondary arthrosis. The etiology of impingement is multifactorial and includes both genetic factors and stresses experienced by the hip prior to cessation of growth. Cam impingement can be quantified by the alpha angle as measured on plain radiographs and radial MR sequences. Cam impingement can be treated by arthroscopic or open femoral head-neck osteochondroplasty. As with hip dysplasia, prognosis following treatment is correlated with the severity of preoperative secondary arthrosis but unfortunately impinging hips more commonly have some degree of arthrosis preop whereas dysplastic hips can become symptomic with instability in the absence of arthrosis. The scientific basis for the treatment of pincer impingement is less strong. Unlike cam impingement and hip dysplasia, pincer impingement pathology in the absence of coxa profunda has not been correlated with arthrosis and so rim trimming with labral refixation is probably performed more often than is clinically indicated. Overall, joint preserving surgery remains the preferred treatment for hips with mechanically correctible problems prior to the development of significant secondary arthrosis