Hip problems are increasingly becoming frequently recognised as common source of pain in the athlete. Increasing demands on the lower spine and pelvis have created ever increasing demands on the hip, which must simultaneously provide strength, speed, balance and stability. Not surprisingly, hip disorders can adversely affect an athlete’s career.

As the hip is a ball and socket joint, formed by the upper thigh bone (femur) and pelvis (acetabulum), incongruity of one or both bones may result in abutment (impingement), causing cartilage wear and tear (degeneration), ultimately premature osteoarthritis. Not surprisingly, this condition is known as femoroacetabular impingement, or “FAI”. As FAI may result in decreased hip range of motion, increased stress is places on the pelvis, thus predisposing the pubic symphysis also to degeneration, commonly referred to as osteitis pubis (OP).

Early identification of cartilage wear and tear may be made by a specific MRI arthrogram of the hip.