Background: Outcomes for operative and nonoperative management of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) are variable. Understanding factors that inform patients' treatment decisions may optimize their outcomes. Objective: To identify factors that predict which patients with FAIS proceed to surgery within 90 days of their initial evaluation by an orthopedic surgeon. The study explored potential predictors of surgical intervention, including demographic factors, activity level, symptom duration, previous treatment, hip function, pain, presence of labral tear, and patient interest in surgical and physical therapy (PT) treatment. Design: Prospective cohort. Setting: Single-site academic medical center. Patients: Seventy-seven individuals with FAIS. Intervention: After evaluation in a hip preservation clinic, participants reported activity level, symptom duration, treatment history, hip function [Hip Outcome Score Activities of Daily Living(HOS-ADL)], pain severity and location, and treatment interests. These variables were evaluated based on univariate analysis for entry into a multiple binomial logistic regression to identify predictors of surgery within 90 days. Adjusted marginal prevalence ratios and 95% confidence interval estimates (PR [95% CI]) were reported (P ≤ .05). Main Outcome Measure(s): Ninety-day treatment (surgery or not). Results: Participants indicated initial interest in surgery (n = 27), PT (n = 22), both (n = 18), or neither (n = 10). Those only interested in PT had lower prevalence of diagnosed labral tear (P < .001) and previous PT for the hip (P < .001). Prevalence of previous injection was higher for those only interested in surgery than for those with any interest in PT (P < .001). Thirty-six of 77 participants (46%) underwent surgery within 90 days. Surgical interest (3.56 [1.57, 5.46]), previous hip injection (3.06 [1.73, 3.89]), younger age (0.95 [0.92, 0.98]), and worse hip function (0.97 [0.95, 0.99]) were significant (P ≤ .02) predictors of surgery. Conclusions: Treatment interest and history, patient function, and age were significantly related to participants' decision to pursue surgical intervention within 90 days. Patient engagement in the decision-making process should include considerations of patient knowledge of, and experience with, the various treatment options.

Postoperative gait mechanics in persons with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) remain understudied as a treatment outcome despite observed, yet inconclusive, preoperative gait abnormalities. Females with FAIS demonstrate worse preoperative patient-reported hip function and altered hip mechanics when compared with males; it is unknown whether these sex differences persist postarthroscopy. The purpose of this study was to compare sex-specific gait kinematics between persons at least 1 year postarthroscopy for FAIS and healthy comparisons. General linear models with estimating equations were used to evaluate the effect of (a) limb and sex within each group, and (b) limb and group within each sex for peak sagittal and frontal plane trunk, pelvis, and hip kinematics during stance phase of gait. Analyses were covaried by gait speed. Seventeen females and eight males an average 2.5 years postarthroscopy (1.1-7.2 year) for FAIS were compared with healthy females (n = 7) and males (n = 5). Females in the FAIS group presented with an average of 4.6°more anterior pelvic tilt, and 4.8°less hip extension compared with healthy females (P ≤ .03) and 8.6°less trunk flexion, 4.8°more anterior pelvic tilt, 3.1°more pelvic drop, and 7.5°more hip flexion than males with FAIS (P ≤ .03). Males in the FAIS group presented with 2.9°less pelvic drop, and 3.2°less hip adduction than healthy males. Preoperative gait mechanics were not collected and thus changes in mechanics could not be evaluated. This study is significant to clinicians who treat patients postarthroscopy to consider sex-specific gait impairments.

No abstract