Conservative Treatment in Patients With Symptomatic Femoroacetabular Impingement

The Effectiveness of Neuromuscular Training of the Lower Limb Muscles in Reducing the Hip Symptoms in Patients With Symptomatic Femoroacetabular Impingement: a Prospective Intervention Study

This is a single-group, prospective, intervention study. A total of 30 participants with unilateral symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement will be included into the study. The intervention consists in neuromuscular training for the lower limb muscles (12 weeks, 2 times/week supervised training, 2 times/week home training). The training includes physical exercises routinely used worldwide in clinical settings. No control intervention group was included into the study because nowadays there is no standard conservative treatment for patients with symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement. Assessments will be performed at (1) baseline, (2) mid-intervention, (3) end-intervention, and (4) follow-up. Clinical, functional, neuromuscular and self-reported parameters will be collected during assessments.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of unilateral symptomatic FAI according to clinical, radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging criteria
• Living place: Canton of Zurich or neighbouring Cantons
• Signed written informed consent to participate into the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous hip surgery
• Any surgery to the lower limbs in the prior 6 months
• Congenital/developmental dysplasia
• Hip osteoarthritis
• Initiation of opioid analgesia and corticosteroid injection for hip pain within the prior 30 days
• BMI >35 kg/m2
• Significant cardiorespiratory diseases