Hip Pain in the Pre-Arthritic Patient: A Guide for the Primary Care Physician
Mohammed, Y.; Qazi, Z.N.; Shuler, F.D.; Garabekyan, T.
West Virginia Medical Journal 112(5): 48-53
2016
ISSN/ISBN: 0043-3284 PMID: 29368480 Document Number: 689432
Adolescents and young adults (less than 30 years of age) with pre-arthritic hip pain constitute a diagnostic dilemma for the primary care physician. The most common underlying diagnoses range from benign muscle strains/joint sprains to stress reactions, insufficiency fractures, and tears involving the articular cartilage/labrum in the setting of femoroacetabular impingement, a hip shape abnormality that is present in up to 90% of this age group. Undetected or left untreated these seemingly innocuous disorders can result in significant loss of function and, in some cases, irreversible joint damage. Despite sharing common predisposing factors, many of the above diagnoses can be identified with a focused history and physical examination. Conservative management may be safely initiated without advanced imaging, reserving orthopaedic consultation for refractory