What is Hip Impingement: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options
You wake up one morning, swing your legs out of bed, and there it is again, a sharp pinch deep in your hip. At first, you brush it off as stiffness. But then it happens while tying your shoes, sitting through a long meeting, or even getting out of a car. That nagging discomfort? It could be hip impingement.
This condition, also called femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), is more common than people think. It shows up in athletes, office workers, and even teenagers. The hip is a ball and socket joint, and when the femoral head doesn’t glide smoothly in the acetabulum, trouble begins. Cartilage damage, labral tears, and constant pain soon follow if you ignore it.
What is Hip Impingement?
Hip impingement happens when extra bone or abnormal shapes of the hip bones create friction inside the joint. Think of the femoral head as a ball. It should sit neatly inside the hip socket. When bone spurs or irregular growths form, the fit is no longer smooth. That abnormal contact grinds the labrum and articular cartilage, leading to stiffness and hip pain.
Doctors usually talk about three types. Cam impingement happens when the femoral head isn’t perfectly round. Pincer impingement shows up when the acetabulum covers too much of the femoral head. And combined impingement? That’s both happening at once, a double blow to the hip joint.
Causes of Hip Impingement
Hip impingement doesn’t come from one single reason. It usually builds up from small things over years.
Abnormal Bone Growth
Extra bone or excess bone around the femoral neck or acetabular rim is one of the main triggers. Over time, this growth blocks smooth motion and the joint grinds with every step.
Cam Impingement
When the femoral head is not round, it cannot rotate properly. This is known as cam impingement. The cam lesion rubs against the hip socket and eats into cartilage. Many athletes develop this because of repeated twisting movements.
Pincer Impingement
Here, the acetabulum covers too much of the femoral head. That over-coverage pinches the labrum with every squat or lunge. Pain usually comes with internal rotation of the thigh bone.
Combined Impingement
Sometimes you don’t just get one problem. Combined impingement is both cam and pincer changes together. It accelerates damage and limits range of motion more severely.
Genetics
Some people are simply born with hips shaped differently. If the acetabulum is angled backward (acetabular retroversion), the chance of femoroacetabular impingement increases as you grow.
Sports and Repetition
Football players, dancers, and hockey skaters often feel pain from this. Constant kicking, sudden stops, and deep bends push the femoral head against the socket until labral tears appear.
Childhood Hip Problems
Old injuries, pelvic deformities, or slipped femoral head during growth years can set the stage. Even if symptoms don’t show early, impingement may surface later.
Symptoms of Hip Impingement
The signs don’t always scream at first. They creep in quietly and then stick around.
Groin Pain
A sharp, stabbing pinch near the groin is one of the hallmark signs. It worsens with prolonged sitting, standing, or walking and sometimes radiates into the front of the thigh, making daily comfort difficult.
Limited Range of Motion
Movements once taken for granted—like bending to tie shoes, crossing legs, or twisting the hip—become increasingly difficult. Both internal and external rotations feel restricted, often creating stiffness and noticeable mobility limitations.
Clicking and Locking
When the labrum is torn, the hip may produce clicking, popping, or temporary locking sensations. These noises are not harmless—they signal tissue catching painfully between bones, disrupting smooth joint function.
Dull Ache
Alongside sharp pains, many experience a persistent dull ache in the buttock or thigh. It often emerges after walking or activity, lingering like a low, irritating background hum that refuses to fade.
Pain During Sports
Athletes frequently notice hip impingement during demanding activities like sprinting, twisting, or squatting deeply. The condition creates sharp pain that hinders performance and, if left untreated, can sideline players for extended periods.
Stiffness After Sitting
Long drives or hours at a desk often leave the hip feeling stuck or frozen. Standing up afterward becomes uncomfortable, requiring effort to regain fluid movement and shake off lingering stiffness.
Weakness Around the Hip
As hip impingement progresses, muscles and supporting structures lose strength. Everyday tasks—climbing stairs, carrying groceries, or lifting moderate weight—begin to feel harder, reflecting the joint’s compromised stability and weakened capacity.
Diagnosing Hip Impingement
Doctors usually start with a physical examination. They’ll move the hip around, pushing and twisting to check for pain. The hip impingement test is often enough to suspect the condition.
Imaging tests confirm it. X ray scans show bone spurs or abnormal angles. CT scans help map the hip bones more clearly. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) checks for labral tears and cartilage damage. Together, these tools reveal femoroacetabular impingement in its early stages.
Rest and Activity Modification
Managing hip impingement often begins with simple adjustments. Avoiding deep bends, repetitive twisting, and heavy squats can significantly reduce stress on the hip joint. These modifications help decrease irritation, minimize pain, and allow the hip to heal without invasive measures.
Medications
Anti-inflammatory medicines, such as NSAIDs, are commonly prescribed to ease swelling and stiffness. By reducing inflammation, they improve mobility and comfort, making daily activities more manageable. These medicines are often used alongside physical therapy or other conservative treatments.
Physical Therapy
Structured physical therapy focuses on strengthening hip muscles and improving joint mechanics. Tailored exercises target weak areas, improve pelvic balance, and protect the femoral neck. Regular therapy enhances flexibility, prevents compensatory injuries, and reduces the likelihood of needing surgery.
Injections
Steroid injections directly into the hip joint can provide months of pain relief. They help control inflammation and improve mobility, giving patients time to continue therapy. Injections are typically used as a temporary solution before surgery or long-term treatment.
Hip Arthroscopy
Hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure where surgeons use small incisions and specialized tools. They reshape the femoral head, remove excess bone, and repair labral tears. This technique promotes faster recovery and is often preferred for moderate deformities.
Open Surgery
In severe cases with significant bone deformities, open surgery becomes necessary. This approach allows surgeons to make extensive corrections not possible arthroscopically. Recovery takes longer, but the procedure effectively addresses structural abnormalities, helping patients regain proper hip function and alignment.
Rehab and Lifestyle
Post-surgical recovery requires a carefully structured rehabilitation program. Physical therapy begins gradually, restoring strength, stability, and flexibility. Patients typically resume everyday activities within weeks, while athletes may return to sports within months. Lifestyle adjustments also help preserve long-term joint health.
Preventing Hip Impingement
You can’t always prevent bone growth, but you can protect your hip. Warm up before workouts. Stretch hips after sitting long hours. Keep thigh, core, and pelvis muscles strong. Athletes should avoid overtraining and give joints rest between intense sessions.
Living with Hip Impingement
It’s frustrating, no doubt. Sitting through a movie without pain, jogging with friends, or bending to pick up a child can feel out of reach.
But with proper treatment and care, many patients get back to normal hip function. Early diagnosis keeps cartilage and labrum from permanent damage.
How to Book an Appointment to Know Hip Impingement: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options
At SRM Global Hospitals, our orthopaedic team focuses on accurate diagnosis and treatment for hip impingement. Doctors check femoral head shape, hip socket alignment, and cartilage health using imaging tests like X-ray, CT scans, and MRI.
From physical therapy to hip arthroscopy, we guide you through treatment options that suit your condition.
Book your appointment today at SRM Global Hospitals and take the first step toward relief.
Final Thoughts
Hip impingement is not something to ignore. From groin pain to stiffness, the condition affects simple daily tasks. Patients can reduce pain and improve movement with proper diagnosis and timely treatment options. If symptoms sound familiar, don’t wait until the damage worsens.
FAQs
1. What is hip impingement syndrome?
Hip impingement syndrome occurs when abnormal contact between the femoral head and the hip socket leads to cartilage or labral damage. Over time, this friction results in pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility.
2. How is hip impingement diagnosed?
Doctors diagnose hip impingement using a hip impingement test, where leg movement reproduces pain. They also rely on physical examinations, X-rays, CT scans, and MRI imaging to evaluate bone shape, cartilage, and labrum health.
3. Can hip impingement heal without surgery?
Yes, especially in early stages. Conservative care like resting the joint, taking anti-inflammatory medication, and physical therapy exercises can relieve pain, improve strength, and prevent further damage without requiring surgical intervention.
4. When is hip arthroscopy needed?
Hip arthroscopy is considered necessary when labral tears, bone overgrowth, or structural abnormalities cause ongoing pain that non-surgical treatments cannot control. The procedure helps repair tissue and restore hip joint function.
5. What are the typical symptoms of hip impingement?
Symptoms often include groin pain, stiffness, dull ache in the thigh bone, or clicking sounds in the joint. Limited range of motion also occurs, making everyday movements painful and difficult.
