1The diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) can be pretty straight forward or it can be hard to detect, depending on the patient. 1Most of the time the patient can be diagnosed with FAI after going through history of activity and a plain x-ray. A patient may experience signs and symptoms which include some sort of hip pain (front, back, or side) and have lost hip motion over a period of time. 2Doctors use the x-ray to look at the shape of the ball-and-socket at the femur and also the amount of space in the joint as a whole. If there are any asymmetries detected in the x-ray, the doctor will order an MRI to get a good look at the labrum to see if there is any significant damage. 2There is also a CT scan done which allows the doctor to see the exact shape of the bones so that he can tell if there are any abnormalities.
Treatment for FAI is a choice that the patient has to make. 2There are two real options: nonsurgical and surgical treatment. Nonsurgical treatment would mean that the patient goes to physical therapy and regains as much hip motion as they can, and gains strength to help with the pain of everyday living. In PT, the patient will do a lot of modified activities until they reach a certain goal set by them and their physical therapist. 2The physical therapist will put the patient through an exam: hip, trunk, and knee muscle strength; posture; alignment; and gait/movement analysis, which is looking at the patient’s walking/movement patterns. From the exam, they will make a plan of action that is designed specifically for the patient.
The surgical route is really advised when there is a significant structural abnormality in the hip joint. 2There are three choices for surgery: full open incision and correction of the problem, arthroscopic surgery (full open incision but no dislocation of the femur), and osteotomy (reshaping the socket). Each surgery has its pros and cons and it is up to the patient and the doctor to choose the best one for the patient. In my next blog post I will talk about the rehabilitation choices and plans of FAI.
References:
2Houston Methodist. (n.d.). Retrieved May 22, 2016, from http://www.houstonmethodist.org/orthopedics/where-does-it-hurt/hip/femoroacetabular-impingement/
No comments:
Post a Comment