Our experts in Orthopaedic Surgery are extremely knowledgeable in treating femoroacetabular impingement. As one of the oldest and most well-regarded orthopaedic units in the country, we have successfully diagnosed and treated hundreds of patients with FAI and can offer you a wide range of the latest non-surgical and surgical options for your particular condition. As part of the U-M Health Comprehensive Musculoskeletal Center, we work throughout the health system to develop the best treatment plan for you. 

Selecting a health care provider is a very important decision. Because we are highly experienced in successfully treating hip conditions such as FAI, we would like to help you explore your options.

• MedSport: 877-877-9333 or 734-930-7400
• Orthopaedics: 734-936-5780

Typical symptoms include:

• Deep groin pain with certain activities
• "Catching," locking, grinding sensation in the hip or groin
• Pain with prolonged sitting
• Pinching type pain when flexing hip past 90 degrees
• Occasional pain radiating to thigh, knee or buttock
• Pain with exercise or sports

At U-M Health, we will take your medical history and ask you about your pattern of symptoms, conduct a physical exam and review any previous X-rays or additional information forwarded to us by your referring physician.

Based upon our findings, your physician may recommend:

• Weight loss, if you're over your ideal body weight
• Activity modification
• Physical therapy
• NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) for pain
• Injections - These injections are used for both diagnostic and therapeutic reasons. They may be done at the time of the MR arthrogram. The typical injection is both an anesthetic and a steroid. They may provide pain relief for weeks to months. These are typically done in Radiology under fluoroscopic or ultrasound assistance.

Surgical Treatment

Whether you will need surgical treatment depends to a large degree on the type of FAI you have, the amount of deformity and the presence of arthritic change. Here are some surgical options:

• Arthroscopy (scope) - This is performed through small incisions in the skin to allow a camera to see the structures within the hip. This can address the labrum, the femoral head deformity and/or an abnormally shaped acetabulum. This is typically performed by a U-M surgeon who specializes in sports injuries and/or has formal training in hip arthroscopy. Patients with pre-existing hip arthritis are typically NOT candidates for hip arthroscopy. The labrum can either be debrided (trimmed) or repaired. This is determined by the quality of the labrum and the size of tear along with the type of deformity.
• Open surgical dislocation - The blood supply to the hip is preserved while dislocating the ball from the socket. The procedure allows increased exposure to correct the deformities of the ball or socket. Surgical dislocation of the hip is performed by U-M surgeons with advanced training in surgical dislocation for a variety of types of FAI with the absence of advanced arthritis.
• Osteochondroplasty - Excess bone on the femoral neck, or acetabulum, is removed in order to re-establish a round femoral head (ball) and a normally-shaped socket. After surgery, patients may be limited on how much weight they can bear to protect from fracturing the hip. An osteochondroplasty can be performed either through an arthroscope (camera) or through open surgery.
• Total hip replacement - Total hip replacement is performed by a University of Michigan surgeon who specializes in hip replacement. This operative procedure removes the femoral head, neck and damaged cartilage. The bone is then replaced with metal, plastic or ceramic bearing surfaces. This procedure is offered when the femoroacetabular impingement has led to extensive cartilage damage on the femoral head (ball) and the acetabulum (socket). This is an open procedure with an incision; it is not performed under arthroscopy (scope). This is the definitive treatment for FAI, labral tears and hip dysplasia (shallow socket) when arthritis has occurred. Total hip replacement can be either a first-choice procedure or a salvage procedure when a previous scope or open dislocation has failed. It has extremely durable results at and beyond 20 years and is being performed in young patients through less invasive techniques, which allow for earlier recovery.