Labral tears are increasingly recognized as a source of hip pain. These rarely occur in normal hips, but in individuals with subtle femoral deformities. Anterior impingement of the femoral neck on the acetabulum due to loss of anterior offset results in a labral tear in active individuals. Future surgeries should be directed at this anterior offset deficiency in order to completely alleviate pain and prevent further recurrences.

To determine the incidence of anterior hip impingement and femoral pathology in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for labral tear.

Anterior labral tears occur in the presence of abnormal femoral anatomy, which results in anterior hip impingement.

Future treatment of labral tears should include addressing the hip impingement.

Labral tears of the hip are increasingly being recognized as a source of hip pain in young, active individuals. Athroscopic labral debridement is commonly associated with poor results. As a result, it is likely that other hip pathology is present at the time of labral tear. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of anterior hip impingement secondary to a pistol grip deformity in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for labral tears.

The charts and radiographs of forty consecutive patients who underwent hip arthroscopy were evaluated. X-rays were evaluated for presence of acetabular or femoral pathology. Femoral pathology was then graded based on degree of slip and posterior slip angle.

All patients who underwent hip arthroscopy for labral tears had abnormal femoral or acetabular anatomy. In those patients without acetabular dysplasia, a pistol grip deformity of the femoral head was present in all cases. Evidence of anterior hip impingement with osteophyte formation was present in ninety-two percent. In these patients, hip arthroscopy results in complete resolution of mechanical symptoms, but hip pain was still present.

Labral tears of the hip appear to be secondary to anterior femoral impingement. This is analogous to a rotator cuff tear in the presence of shoulder impingement. Anterior impingement of the femoral neck on the acatabulum due to an anterior femoral offset deformity results in both pain and labral tears. Future surgeries should be directed at this anterior offset deficiency in order to prevent recurrent injuries or residual pain.

Purpose: Acetabular labral tears are most commonly associated with minor or atraumatic events. As a result, it is likely that these tears occur in the presence of an abnormal hip joint. The purpose of this investigation was to establish whether anterior hip impingement, secondary to an anterior femoral offset deficiency from a pistol grip deformity, was a common and poorly recognized cause of acetabular labral tears.

Methods: Sixty-five consecutive patients who underwent a hip arthroscopy and were found to have a labral tear were evaluated. Preoperative hip radiographs were evaluated for abnormalities of the femur and /or acetabulum. The patient’s outcome with respect to resolution to pain and mechanical symptoms was assessed.

Results: All labral tears identified at the time of hip arthroscopy were found to be located anteriorly. A pistol grip deformity of the proximal femur was identified on the preoperative radiographs in 92% of the patients. Labral excision resulted in complete resolution of hip pain in only 8 (28%). With the remaining 72% experiencing mild or moderate pain.

Conclusions: Acetabular labral tears are the result of repetitive femoral-acetabular impingement, from a pistol grip deformity, with eventual tearing of the labrum from a relatively minor trauma. This is analogous to a rotator cuff repair in the shoulder that is secondary to repetitive impingement by the acromium. Decompression or correction of the anterior hip impingement should routinely be considered at the time of labral surgery to provide complete relief of symptoms and diminish the risk of future joint degeneration.