Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome: When Hip Pain and Pinching Should Not Be Ignored

Hip Pain That Keeps Coming Back? FAIS May Be Part of the Picture

Deep groin pain. A pinching feeling at the front of the hip. Reduced hip rotation. Difficulty squatting, running, pivoting, or sitting for long periods.

These signs may be associated with Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome, commonly known as FAIS.

FAIS is a motion-related hip condition where abnormal contact occurs between the femoral head-neck junction and the acetabulum. This can contribute to hip pain, reduced mobility, labral or cartilage changes, and, in some cases, increased risk of osteoarthritis progression.

For health and fitness professionals, the important message is simple:

Persistent hip pain deserves objective assessment, not guesswork.

Research Spotlight: Long-Term Outcomes After Hip Arthroscopy for FAIS

A 2025 systematic review by Migliorini and colleagues examined the long-term outcomes of arthroscopic management for FAIS. The review included 7 studies, 478 participants, and a minimum follow-up period of 10 years.

The review found that hip arthroscopy was associated with improvements in several patient-reported outcomes, including hip function and pain measures. However, the long-term results also showed that a meaningful proportion of individuals still required further intervention.

Key findings included:

Improved patient-reported outcomes after arthroscopy
Revision surgery reported in a portion of cases
Around one-third of participants progressing to total hip arthroplasty within long-term follow-up

The takeaway?

Surgery may improve symptoms and function for many people, but it does not remove the need for careful assessment, appropriate exercise progression, and realistic long-term expectations.

Why This Matters in Practice

FAIS is rarely just about one painful movement.

A client may first notice that one hip feels tighter. Then squats start to pinch. Then running, lunging, or change-of-direction work becomes uncomfortable. Over time, they may begin to move differently, lose strength, or avoid positions that load the hip.

This is where objective assessment becomes valuable.

Useful areas to assess may include:

Hip internal and external rotation
Hip flexion tolerance
Hip abductor and adductor strength
Hip flexor and extensor strength
Single-leg control
Squat, lunge, step-down, or sport-specific movement patterns

A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis by Zhang, Chen and Tong also highlighted that hip muscle changes may be present in people with femoroacetabular impingement, reinforcing the value of strength assessment alongside range-of-motion testing.

Practical Assessment Insights

Early screening can help professionals identify when a client may need further assessment, referral, or a more structured exercise plan.

For athletes, this may support return-to-running, cutting, kicking, squatting, or field-based progressions.

For older adults, it may help explain changes in hip mobility, stair tolerance, lower-limb strength, or confidence with daily tasks.

For general population clients, it may provide a clearer reason why the same hip pain keeps returning during gym, work, or recreational activity.

For persistent pain presentations, objective testing can also help shift the conversation from “how does it feel today?” to “what is actually changing over time?”

How MAT Tools Can Support Hip Assessment

MAT tools do not diagnose FAIS. They help professionals measure the physical qualities that often matter when assessing hip function.

The Muscle Meter can be used to assess and track hip strength, including abductors, adductors, flexors, and extensors.

The Inclinometer can help measure hip range of motion, including internal and external rotation.

Measurz can help document results, compare sessions, and track changes over time.

When combined with functional testing, these tools can help build a clearer picture of how the hip is moving, loading, and adapting.

Key Takeaway

Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome is more than just a “pinchy hip”.

The latest long-term research suggests that hip arthroscopy can improve symptoms and function for many individuals, but long-term outcomes vary, and some people may still progress to further surgery or total hip arthroplasty.

That makes objective assessment important.

Measure hip strength.
Measure hip range of motion.
Assess functional movement.
Track change over time.

Because when hip pain keeps coming back, better data leads to better decisions.

References

Lameire, D. L., Pathak, A., Hu, S. Y., Yuen, Y. T. K., Whelan, D. B., Dwyer, T., Hauer, T. M., & Chahal, J. (2025). The impact of hip arthroscopy on the progression of hip osteoarthritis in patients with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 13(4), 23259671251326116. https://doi.org/10.1177/23259671251326116

Migliorini, F., Vaishya, R., Simeone, F., Memminger, M. K., Betsch, M., & Pasurka, M. (2025). Long-term outcomes of arthroscopic management of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome: A systematic review. Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, 145, 267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-025-05890-0

Zhang, W., Chen, L., & Tong, P. (2025). Hip muscle changes in femoroacetabular impingement: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, 20, 717. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-025-06135-x