Orthopedics Hip & Knee Hip Injuries Femoroacetabular Impingement and Early Hip Arthritis By Jonathan Cluett, MD Jonathan Cluett, MD LinkedIn Twitter Jonathan Cluett, MD, is board-certified in orthopedic surgery. He served as assistant team physician to Chivas USA (Major League Soccer) and the United States men's and women's national soccer teams. Learn about our editorial process Updated on December 15, 2020 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Stuart Hershman, MD Medically reviewed by Stuart Hershman, MD LinkedIn Stuart Hershman, MD, is board-certified in orthopaedic surgery. He is the director of adult spinal deformity & complex spinal reconstruction at Massachusetts General Hospital and is on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a condition characterized by the abnormal shape of the ball-and-socket hip joint. FAI is associated with hip-joint arthritis, and there are a number of different treatment options. Jeannot Olivet / Getty Images FAI Defined With FAI, the alteration in the shape of the ball-and-socket hip joint causes restricted movement. Sometimes, bone spurs can form around the hip joint. You can also have damaged cartilage in the hip and labral tears of the hip with FAI. When the hip is bent or turned, the bone spurs can cause the characteristic impingement of FAI, which produces the symptoms. FAI is often associated with hip-joint pain. Typically the pain is felt in the groin, and it can also affect the front of the hip or in the buttocks. FAI and Hip Arthritis FAI is considered a possible risk factor for hip-joint arthritis. Having FAI increases the chance that you will ultimately need to have a total hip replacement surgery, particularly if you have a cam lesion—a bone spur on the ball of the ball-and-socket hip joint. The progression to hip arthritis with pincer lesions—a bone spur on the socket of the ball-and-socket hip joint—is less clear, although a pincer lesion is also considered to be a risk factor for developing arthritis. Ultimately it is clear that FAI is not the only risk for developing hip arthritis—other important factors include genetics and previous injuries. Treatment The optimal treatment of FAI is unclear at this time. In general, treatment for FAI is not recommended when the condition isn't causing symptoms, such as when it is only seen incidentally on an X-ray or MRI. Most surgeons recommend trying non-surgical treatments to relieve symptoms before considering surgical treatment of FAI. Non-surgical treatments may include rest, activity modifications, anti-inflammatory medications, or cortisone injections. An osteoplasty is a surgical procedure in which bone spurs are removed. This procedure has shown very good results in relieving pain and improving motion when FAI associated hip pain hasn't improved with more conservative treatments. The long-term effects of these surgical procedures are yet to be determined, however. Bottom Line The significance of FAI in arthritis, as well as the optimal treatment approach for this condition, are subjects of great debate. Young to middle-aged individuals who have cam lesions of FAI are at a higher risk for developing significant hip joint arthritis and ultimately requiring a total hip replacement. Currently, the best treatment approach in these cases isn't well established. An osteoplasty can help improve symptoms of FAI, but it hasn't been shown to provide a long-term benefit or prevent the progression of arthritis. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Dealing with joint pain can cause major disruptions to your day. Sign up and learn how to better take care of your body. Click below and just hit send! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 0 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Sankar WN, Nevitt M, Parvizi J, Felson DT, Agricola R, Leunig M. Femoroacetabular impingement: defining the condition and its role in the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2013;21 Suppl 1:S7-S15.