Professional and amateur dancers form a particular group of patients with femoroacetabular impingement, since their activity involves a large range of hip movement, high-impact exercise and regular training. Few studies report the results of hip arthroscopy in this group of patients.
A new study seeks to shed light on this question: its authors set out to investigate the rate of participation in dance, and also the factors that influence the primary outcome after hip arthroscopy for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement.
A consecutive series of dancers with femoroacetabular impingement was studied. To assess the effect of hyperlaxity on the results, patients were classified as either having generalised hyperlaxity of the joints (generalized joint laxity) or not, on the basis of the hypermobility assessment index Beighton-Horan Joint Mobility Index. Assessments were made of return to dance and of the hip outcome scales Modified Harris Hip Score, Hip Outcome Score-Activities of Daily Living and HOS Sports Specific Subscale, preoperatively and postoperatively at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. The change from preoperative to postoperative results was compared using the minimal clinically important difference and the patient acceptable symptom state. Return to dance was assessed in terms of return to any dance activity, return to the previous level, and the hours of participation in dance after surgery. The clinical and demographic factors were analysed using statistical methods.
This study included 64 consecutive patients (62 women and 2 men), with a mean age of 22.3 years ± 9.4 years and a mean follow-up of 23 months. Postoperatively, 62 patients (97%) returned to dance after a mean of 6.9 ± 2.9 months. Of these, 40 (62.5%) reported that they had returned to a better level of activity, while 20 (31%) returned to the same level of activity. Statistically significant differences were observed on the hip outcome scales. There was, however, a significant reduction in the number of hours of dancing postoperatively. All the outcome scales showed statistically significant differences in the patients' clinical presentation. None of the results showed differences between the groups with and without joint hyperlaxity.
The authors concluded that after hip arthroscopy 97% of dancers returned to dance after a mean of 6.9 months, with most dancers dancing at a higher level than before surgery. The level of dance activity was the only significant factor influencing the outcomes relating to return to dance, with high-level dancers showing a higher rate of return to dance.
Source: “Arthroscopy”, March 2019
