Do you suffer pain or discomfort in the hip or groin area?
Have you noticed an increase in stiffness, or a decrease in you hip range of motion?
Have you become more aware that the hip clicks or occasionally locks when moving?
Then you may be suffering with Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).
FAI is a fairly common hip condition relating to motion that occurs in roughly 30% of the population and is characterised most commonly in the symptoms mentioned above.
FAI is caused by an increased contact, often prematurely, between the head of the femur and the acetabulum (the round portion of the ball and socket joint). When this occurs the shape of the ball and socket joint begin to change, which leads to three types of deformity:
CAM deformity- most common in athletic young men. This occurs when the femoral head becomes less smooth and begins to alter the contact between itself and the acetabulum, similar to a pestle and mortar.
Pincer deformity – more common in women due to osteophytic growth. Like the pincers of a crab, the acetabulum rim begins to extend around the head of the femur, limiting its range of motion.
Combination deformity – Both a CAM and Pincer deformity are present in the same hip and accounts for roughly 85%. of cases.
In either case, if left unchecked then degenerative changes can occur and osteoarthritis may develop in the long term.
How can we help?
Manual therapy/osteopathy has been demonstrated in the research to be an effective way of improving hip mobility and increasing the space between the femoral head and the acetabulum in patients suffering with FAI and has often been cited as a starting point to try before opting for surgery.
At The Art Of Healing, we pride ourselves on our bespoke approach to treating FAI, which uses a mixture of osteopathy, manual therapy, dry needling and the latest in orthopaedic and medical research for rehabilitation. These and techniques have helped hundreds of patients at our clinic suffering with FAI.
We offer guaranteed same day hands on treatment with our expert team to give you relief from your symptoms and develop plans for future progression.
If you think you are suffering from Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and are looking for expert advice and treatment, we may be able to help. Book an appointment here, contact our team at info@theartofhealing.uk or Call us on 0203 146 6755.