Patients with associated spine or other major joint pain have equivalent outcomes to patients with isolated hip pain after hip arthroscopy.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of patients following surgery diagnosed with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) who also experience low back and other joint pain compared to those with isolated hip pain.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with FAIS, with or without other joint pain, treated with hip arthroscopy from 2016 to 2020. Excluded cases were patients who had significant arthritis, irreparable labral tear requiring reconstruction, or were lost follow-up. Analysis was carried out in two ways, the first was according to the musculoskeletal morbidity (MSKM) scheme where patients were stratified into four different groups, and the second was according to the presence of any other joint or back pain (MSKM 2-4) compared to hip pain only (MSKM 1). Demographic data was analyzed between the groups. International Hip Outcome Tool 33 (iHOT-33) and Hip Outcome Score (HOS) were used as the primary and secondary outcome measures pre-operatively and a minimum of two years postoperatively.

Results: A total of 131 patients were included in the study with 37 ​% males and 63 ​% females. Age (years) and body mass index (kg/m²) were similar between groups, whereas a statistically greater number of male participants were seen in the hip pain only group (MSKM 1). Pre-operatively, patients with isolated hip pain (MSKM 1), had a higher iHOT-33 scores (p ​< ​0.05), but no statistically significant differences were observed postoperatively between the groups. All groups demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in iHOT-33 and HOS scores postoperatively compared to pre-operatively (p ​< ​0.05), with 76 ​% meeting the threshold for minimum clinically important difference.

Conclusion: Patient-reported outcomes following hip arthroscopy for FAIS were significantly greater postoperatively for all patients, despite the presence of other joint or back pain. This study can assist in driving patient expectations following hip arthroscopy for FAIS.

Level of evidence: IV.