Early Impact of Hip Arthroscopy on the Resolution of Symptom Burden in Athletes With Femoroacetabular Impingement.

Background: Coexisting symptoms can confound outcomes after arthroscopic correction of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Symptom burden (SB) represents the cumulative load of patient-reported symptoms.

Purpose: To quantify the prevalence of symptoms in athletes before and after arthroscopic correction of FAI and evaluate the impact of independent and cumulative SB resolution on outcomes.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: Included were 509 hips of 386 athletes (89% men; age, 26.4 ± 6.1 years) who underwent primary hip arthroscopy for FAI between 2011 and 2020. Symptom prevalence was assessed preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively using a 15-item SB survey, with the total number of symptoms reported as the SB score. Minimal clinically important difference (MCID-SB) and substantial clinical benefit (SCB-SB) thresholds according to the proportional pre- to postoperative resolution of SB were calculated, and 1- and 2-year postoperative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs)-including the modified Harris Hip Score and 36-Item Short Form Survey-were compared relative to MCID-SB and SCB-SB achievement. Multivariable stepwise regression was used to evaluate the ability of individual symptom resolution for MCID and SCB achievements on PROMs.

Results: The SB score was 6 ± 2.9 preoperatively, improving to 2.8 ± 2.7 at 1 year postoperatively ( < .001). A proportional reduction in symptoms by 48.5% and 70.3% defined the MCID-SB and SCB-SB, respectively; this was achieved by 63.6% and 43.8% of the hips, respectively. Postoperatively, PROMs were superior where clinically meaningful SB resolution thresholds were achieved ( < .001). A significantly higher proportion of these cases returned to their main sport (79.4% vs 63.1% achieved MCID-SB; 83.8% vs 65.2% achieved SCB-SB) ( < .001). Odds ratios for symptoms associated with achieving the MCID on PROMs included resolution of groin pain (2.6-5.5), side hip pain (3.4), pain during (3.1) and after (2.6-3.5) activity, hamstring tightness (2.6), and limping after activity (2.6). Symptom resolution associated with achieving SCB included groin pain (3.0-3.1), pain during (3.3) and after (2.7-4.2) activity, and limping after activity (3-6.8).

Conclusion: Achieving thresholds of clinically important SB resolution was associated with superior postoperative PROM scores and higher rates of return to sports for this athletic cohort. Resolution of groin pain, pain during/after activity, hamstring tightness, and limping after activity increased the odds of achieving clinically important improvement on PROMs.