For many years there has been considerable debate in the literature about the link between sporting activity and cam morphology in the hip. Researchers have still not settled whether the morphology of femoroacetabular impingement is the result of a genetic predisposition or is an acquired characteristic.
A study was therefore carried out to assess the effect of the volume and the type of sporting activity on the development of cam-type femoroacetabular impingement, and also of acetabular dysplasia.
The study was carried out at the University of Iowa and used physical activity questionnaires for adolescents, at the age of 17 years, in order to identify those who had taken part in at least two seasons of high-level sporting activity. Those taking part were classified into the categories of high-impact sporting activity (basketball, football, volleyball), non-high-impact athletes (weightlifting, baseball, tennis) and non-athletes. Anteroposterior images of the left hip from DEXA Scans were used and the alpha angle, the head-neck offset ratio and the lateral center-edge angle were measured at the ages of 17, 19 and 23.
Statistical analysis was performed and the association between the level of sporting activity and the hip measurements was examined for the ages of 17 to 23 years. The investigators concluded that a greater level of sporting activity and participation in sports with higher peak loads and ground reaction forces, during the process of skeletal maturation, may increase the risk of developing cam morphology during adolescence.
Source: “JBJS, December 2021