Femoracetabular Impingement (FAI): The Pain of a Pinching Hip
If you’ve been feeling a sharp pinch or a deep ache in your hip, it might be due to a condition called femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).
This discomfort, often described as a “pinching” sensation, can make simple daily activities, like walking, sitting, or even sleeping, feel uncomfortable.
Symptoms of Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) include:
- Hip or groin pain
- Pinching sensation in the hip
- Stiffness or limited hip mobility
- Pain during twisting or turning
- Clicking or locking in the hip joint
Let’s take a closer look at why your hip might hurt and how physical therapy can help you feel better.
How the Hip Joint Works
A very complex joint in the body, the hip is formed by a ball on the end of the thighbone (femur) that sits in a socket formed by a cavity (acetabulum) in the pelvic bone.
- The ball is held in place by a very powerful ligament, and both the ball and socket are covered by a smooth layer of cartilage that cushions the joint, allowing the ball to move in the socket with very little friction.
- Fibrous tissue and cartilage (called the labrum) line the socket rim, grip the head of the femur and anchor it in place.
Why Does Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) Happen?
Sometimes, the hip joint doesn’t work as smoothly as it should.
When the ball does not have full range of motion within the socket, femoroacetabular impingement occurs.
- The ball’s extra bone hits the socket rim and causes the cartilage and labrum to fray or tear, resulting in pain.
- Some people are born with bones that make them more likely to develop impingement.
- It can also develop over time from injury or repetitive stress on the hip joint, especially if you play sports or do activities like running, cycling, soccer, or dancing.
- Even sitting for long periods can contribute to this problem if the bones aren’t aligned properly.
Types of Hip Impingement
There are two types of femoroacetabular impingement.
Some people may have a combination of both types, which can make the symptoms more severe.
1) Cam-Type Impingement
This occurs when the excess bone forms around the head and/or neck of the femur.
The misshapen bone rubs against the cartilage lining the hip socket, causing it to peel away or become worn, frayed or torn.
2) Pincer-Type Impingement
This results from an overgrowth of bone on the socket rim or when the socket is angled in such a way that abnormal impact occurs between the femur and the rim of the socket, causing the cartilage to become worn and form holes.
This can lead to cartilage damage, pain, and discomfort.
How Physical Therapy Can Help Your Hip Pain
If you have hip pain, physical therapy can help you manage it effectively.
The main goal is to address the root cause of your pain and restore normal function to your hip.
At The Jackson Clinics, our physical therapists will:
- Evaluate your hip’s range of motion
- Test the area’s muscle strength
- Observe how you move and perform tests to ascertain whether the hip joint is your source of pain
- Analyze those physical movements that contribute to your hip pain and help you change or eliminate them.
– Creating a Personalized Treatment Plan
Based on our evaluation, we’ll design a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
In an absence of severe symptoms or joint damage, we can design an exercise program that can:
- decrease pain,
- improve movement,
- avoid the need for surgery,
- strengthen your hips and trunk,
- improve hip muscle flexibility and joint mobility,
- teach you healthier body postures for your hip, and
- help you modify your activity.
Our goal is to not just relieve your symptoms but to address the cause of your pain.
– Exercises to Strengthen Your Hip
Exercises are a key part of physical therapy for hip pain.
- We’ll focus on strengthening the muscles around your hip and core to better support the joint.
- Stronger muscles can help absorb the impact and reduce stress on the joint, which may reduce pain and prevent further damage.
- We will also include exercises that improve flexibility and range of motion, helping your hip move more freely.
Improving Mobility and Reducing Pain
To help you move better and feel less pain, we’ll use techniques to improve your joint’s mobility and flexibility.
- This might include stretching exercises, hands-on therapy to gently move the joint, or treatments like heat and cold therapy.
- These techniques can reduce stiffness, increase blood flow, and decrease inflammation, all of which help relieve pain and improve function.
– Making Changes to Your Daily Life
Physical therapy isn’t just about exercises. It’s also about teaching you new ways to move and live.
We’ll work with you to find out which movements or activities might be making your pain worse, and we’ll teach you how to modify or avoid them.
This could involve changing how you sit, stand, walk, or sleep.
We’ll also provide tips on posture and body mechanics to help protect your hip joint and prevent pain.
– Don’t Ignore Your Hip Pain
Just like with other medical conditions, it’s important to address hip pain early. Waiting too long can lead to more severe symptoms, more joint damage, and a longer recovery time.
If you’ve been feeling a pinch or pain in your hip, don’t ignore it.
Starting a physical therapy program now can make a big difference in how quickly you recover and how fully you regain your hip’s function.
Did you know you have Direct Access* to Physical Therapy? No referral, no problem!
Take the First Step Toward Relief
You don’t have to live with hip pain. With the right approach, including targeted exercises, lifestyle changes, and expert guidance, you can manage your pain and get back to doing the things you love.
Similar to other ailments, the gains of starting a physical therapy program for femoroacetabular impingement early outweigh the pain and discomfort of its being left untreated.
Don’t let your hip pinch you—call today to schedule an appointment.
The Jackson Clinics serves 18 locations throughout Northern Virginia.
Find one near you: https://thejacksonclinics.com/locations/