Patients with cam-type femoroacetabular impingement demonstrate increased change in bone-to-bone distance during walking: A dual fluoroscopy study

Cam-type femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome is a painful, structural hip disorder. Herein, we investigated hip joint mechanics through in vivo, dynamic measurement of the bone-to-bone distance between the femoral head and acetabulum in patients with cam FAI syndrome and morphologically screened controls. We hypothesized that individuals with cam FAI syndrome would have larger changes in bone-to-bone distance compared to the control group, which we would interpret as altered joint mechanics as signified by greater movement of the femoral head as it articulates within the acetabulum. Seven patients with cam FAI syndrome and 11 asymptomatic individuals with typical morphology underwent dual fluoroscopy imaging during level and inclined walking (upward slope). The change in bone-to-bone distance between femoral and acetabular bone surfaces was evaluated for five anatomical regions of the acetabulum at each timepoint of gait. Linear regression analysis of the bone-to-bone distance considered two within-subject factors (activity and region) and one between-subjects factor (group). Across activities, the change in minimum bone-to-bone distance was 1.38–2.54 mm for the cam FAI group and 1.16–1.84 mm for controls. In all regions except the anterior–superior region, the change in bone-to-bone distance was larger in the cam group than the control group (p ≤ 0.024). An effect of activity was detected only in the posterior–superior region where larger changes were noted during level walking than incline walking. Statement of clinical significance: Patients with cam FAI syndrome exhibit altered hip joint mechanics during the low-demand activity of walking; these alterations could affect load transmission, and contribute to pain, tissue damage, and osteoarthritis.