Does Daily Physical Activity Differ Between Patients with Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome and Patients with Hip Dysplasia? A Cross-Sectional Study in 157 Patients and 60 Healthy Volunteers

BACKGROUND: The clinical presentation of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and acetabular hip dysplasia (HD) are similar. However, the groups seem to differ regarding physical activity (PA) and sport. PURPOSE: The aim was to compare PA between three groups; patients with FAIS, patients with HD, and healthy volunteers. A secondary purpose was to compare self-reported function in sport and recreation (sport/recreation) between patients with FAIS and HD. STUDY DESIGN: This study is a cross-sectional study on 157 patients with FAIS or HD and 60 healthy controls. METHODS: PA was measured with accelerometer-based sensors, and sport/recreation was measured with the Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS). Data on patients with FAIS or HD and healthy volunteers were collected in other studies and merged for comparison in this study. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients with FAIS (20 males; mean age 36 years), 97 patients with HD (15 males; mean age 30 years) and 60 healthy volunteers (24 males; mean age 31 years) were included. Compared with patients with HD, patients with FAIS spent more time on very low intensity PA (mean 73 minutes (95% CI: 45;102)) and less time on low intensity PA per day (mean -21 minutes (95% CI: -37;-6)). Both groups spent less time on high intensity PA per day compared with healthy volunteers (p≤0.03). However, sport/recreation did not differ between the two groups (FAIS: median 34 points (IQR: 22;50) and HD: median 38 points (IQR: 25;53), p=0.16). CONCLUSION: Patients with FAIS appear to be less physical active compared with patients with HD. However, both groups seem to perform less high intensity PA compared with healthy volunteers. This is interesting, as self-reported function in sport/recreation does not differ between patients with FAIS and HD. Thus, high intensity PA seems to be a key outcome in the management of patients with FAIS and HD. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 2b