Hip impingement, which is also known as femoral acetabular impingement (FAI), is a painful condition that is due to abnormalities in either the surface structure of the tip of the femur that attaches to the hip or the surface of the part of the hip that attaches to the tip of the femur, called the acetabulum. The condition results in the rubbing of the femur head against the rim of the socket when you flex your hip (flexing the hip occurs when you move your thigh or knee up to your chest).

The cause of FAI is poorly understood. However, it may be due to congenital factors as in the case of people being born with such an innate anatomical anomaly. On the other hand, it may be a degenerative disorder that develops as a person ages like arthritis, for instance. Nevertheless, lots of experts are convinced that FAI may occur as a result of the two. Physiotherapy for hip impingement may aid patients to recovery but options like surgery may be inevitable.

Hip impingement produce pain that originates in the femur-hip junction but the pain may be felt along the groin area above the thighs. The pain increases in severity once the hip is flexed or brought closer to the chest. Rotating the thighs inwards may also aggravate pain.

Some people are more likely to have FAI than others. People who engage in strenuous activities involving a great deal of hip and leg movement may tend to suffer from hip impingement. Thus, soccer players, ice skaters, and gymnasts have more tendency to acquire the painful joint disorder. Nevertheless, those who have relatively less active lifestyle may still acquire the condition.

Early diagnosis for FAI is deemed necessary to avoid other complications that may result from untreated impingement. Some experts are convinced that FAI may either be the onset of or may trigger the onset of osteoarthritis. Consequently, when the impingement is left without appropriate treatment, the tendency to develop osteoarthritis is high; and while FAI may warrant less invasive treatment techniques only, it may require more serious – and expensive – procedures like hip replacement surgery when left to exacerbate. Generally, anti-inflammatory drugs, refraining from activities that demand much movement, and physiotherapy for hip impingement may work for mild cases. In more grave cases, hip arthroscopy and injections of steroid medication to the affected hip joint may be done.

There is nothing more necessary than first seeking medical help during the early stages of strange pain in the groin, hip and lower back regions. The diagnosis would involve examination, in which hip, thigh and leg mobility is evaluated by the examining physician. Signs of restricted mobility may warrant further investigation that would include computerized tomography (CT scan), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and x-ray to reveal images.

As mentioned previously the range of treatment for FAI may be from oral medication and physiotherapy for hip impingement to as serious as hip arthoplasty, also known as hip replacement surgery.