The treatment of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) consists of wait-and-see, physiotherapist-led treatment, and/or hip surgery. The primary indication for hip surgery is based on imaging findings, however, limited correlation has been observed between such findings and hip symptoms. As patients with FAIS often show physical impairments, such as impaired hip muscle function, physiotherapist-led treatment aiming to address such factors may be effective in improving hip function and pain in some patients. However, several factors may confound the effect of physiotherapist-led treatment of FAIS, such as whether the patient presents with intra-articular hip joint pain or not.

Thus, the purpose of this prospective study with a two-group comparison design is to investigate the effect of 12-weeks of physiotherapist-led treatment on self-reported hip and groin function, measured with the Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS), in subjects diagnosed with FAIS, but with and without intra-articular hip pain. Determination of intra-articular hip pain is based on the response to an ultrasound-guided intra-articular anesthetic hip injection performed prior to commencing treatment.

110 subjects diagnosed with FAIS based on symptoms, clinical signs and imaging findings will be prospectively recruited from a specialized outpatient hip and groin clinic at Hvidovre Hospital. Following inclusion subjects undergo 12-weeks of semi-structured and supervised physiotherapist-led treatment. The primary outcome measure is the between-group (intra-articular pain vs. no intra-articular pain) difference in mean change of the HAGOS sport subscale from baseline (week 0) to follow-up (week 12).

Financial support for the project has been granted by Gigtforeningen, Region Hovedstadens Forskningsfond til Sundhedsforskning, Danske Fysioterapeuter, Dansk Selskab for Sportsfysioterapi and Hvidovre Hospital.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03846817