Association between femoroacetabular impingement syndrome and limited lateral hip rotation in young athletes: A case–control study

PURPOSE: Hip pain is very common in athletes. One of the main disorders causing hip pain is femoroacetabular impingement syndrome. This study aimed to identify a new etiological risk factor for femoroacetabular impingement in the hip. METHODS: This case–control study included 88 young athletes, 34 with pains in the hip (supposedly with femoroacetabular impingement) and 54 controls. Femoroacetabular impingement was diagnosed with a flexion, adduction, internal, and rotation test and a particular type of hip pain during sports activities. The medial (internal) and lateral (external) hip ranges of rotation have been measured with an inclinometer. The data were analyzed using a t-test, the Wilcoxon test, the Mann–Whitney U test, and logistic regression. RESULTS: There is a statistically significant difference in the external hip rotation range between the athletes with hip pain and controls. Logistic regression analysis showed that external hip range of motion is significantly associated with femoroacetabular impingement. CONCLUSION: Limited external hip range of motion was found to be significantly associated with the diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingement in young athletes. A biomechanical explanation of the hypothesis that limited external hip rotation can predict femoroacetabular impingement is given. Based on our results, the hip’s lateral range of motion screening can be advised within the regular screening of young athletes. Kinesiotherapeutic procedures for stretching the muscles of the medial hip rotors can be advised to prevent the lateral hip rotation restriction and lower the risk of femoroacetabular impingement in case the limited rotation is due to muscular restriction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: level III—case–control study.