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Background: Deformities of the femoral head-neck junction are associated with limited hip internal rotation, which may lead to femoroacetabular impingement and consequently to hip osteoarthritis. This study compared inter- and intra-observer reproducibility of 3 different methods to quantify hip internal rotation. Methods: 2 investigators assessed hip internal rotation of 30 asymptomatic participants during 2 separate testing sessions. Internal rotation was assessed by rotating the 90°-flexed hip manually while in a supine position (manual), in an examination chair capable of applying a single load (EC1) and in a newly developed examination chair with 5 load levels (EC2). Inter- and intra-observer reproducibility was compared among methods using reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient, ICC) and measurement error (smallest detectable chance). Results: Inter-observer reliability was good for the manual assessment (ICC = 0.83) and excellent for the EC1 and EC2 methods (ICC ⩾ 0.95) with expected measurement errors of 15.9°, 7.1° and 6.8°-14.3°, respectively. Intra-observer reliability was excellent for each method (ICC ⩾ 0.96), although measurement error ranged from 7.6°-11.8° for EC2 and was slightly higher compared to the manual (7.8°) and EC1 (5.9°) methods. Conclusions: Reproducibility of EC2 hip internal rotation angle assessment is superior to that of the manual assessment at specific load levels but not to the EC1 method. Future assessment devices need to incorporate a means of precisely producing and quantifying the loads applied to the hip joint in order to improve measurement reproducibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), which is highly prevalent in adult ice hockey players, is often associated with negative clinical and functional outcomes. It is unclear, however, whether FAI-related bony deformities and symptoms may lead to functional alterations as reflected in hip muscle strength, range of motion (ROM), and on-ice physical performance in youth ice hockey players. Hypothesis: Compared with players with neither structural signs nor symptoms related to FAI, players with symptomatic FAI would show hip muscle weakness and reduced hip ROM, which would in turn affect ice hockey physical performance. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A total of 74 young male ice hockey players were evaluated bilaterally for passive hip internal rotation ROM by use of a hip examination chair. Only the side with less internal rotation ROM was further investigated. FAI-related bony deformities were evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The involved hip was classified as symptomatic or asymptomatic based on the presence of hip pain during exercise and results from the flexion/adduction/internal rotation (FADIR) provocation test. Hip muscle strength, passive hip ROM, and on-ice physical performance were compared between players with no FAI, players with asymptomatic MRI-positive FAI, and players with symptomatic FAI. Results: Fifty of 74 players (68%) had FAI-related bony deformities, of whom 16 (22%) were symptomatic. Hip muscle strength, hip ROM, and on-ice physical performance did not differ significantly between players with no FAI and those with asymptomatic or symptomatic FAI. Conclusion: Despite a high prevalence of FAI-related bony deformities, youth ice hockey players with asymptomatic or symptomatic FAI did not show functional impairments in terms of hip muscle strength, hip ROM, or on-ice physical performance. Clinical Relevance: Hip muscle strength, passive hip ROM, and on-ice physical performance do not seem to discriminate for FAI-related signs and symptoms in young male ice hockey players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the study was to prospectively evaluate hip muscle strength in a series of patients with symptomatic FAI after hip arthroscopy. Methods: Hip muscle strength of eight patients (age: 29 ± 10 years) was evaluated preoperatively and 2.5 years after hip arthroscopy, and was compared to eight matched controls. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) strength was measured for all hip muscle groups. At follow-up, we used the symptom-specific well-being outcome to assess the acceptability of the health state related to the hip. Results: Patients showed MVC strength increases for all hip muscles (9-59%, P<.05). At follow-up, only hip flexor MVC strength was lower for patients than controls (-18%, P<.05). At follow-up, four patients (out of eight) were "neither satisfied nor dissatisfied" with the health state of their operated hip. Conclusions: Patients with symptomatic FAI recovered their hip muscle strength to normal levels 2.5 years after hip arthroscopy, except for hip flexors. Although all patients showed good hip muscle strength at follow-up, half of them were not completely satisfied with their health state related to the hip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]