Will you get what you want? Treatment goals and expectations of patients with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome regarding physiotherapist-led treatment

Review written by Dr Joanne Kemp info

Key Points

  1. Most patients with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome had goals related to exercise, such as exercising with less pain or restriction and more confidence; two in every three patients did not expect to meet their goals through physical therapist-led treatment for FAI syndrome.
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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome is present in 49% of young and middle-aged adults with hip-related pain (1). While physical and functional impairments are often observed in individuals with FAI syndrome, reports of lower quality of life, altered mental health and socioeconomic burden, highlight much broader impacts of this condition (2-4).

Physical therapist-led interventions focusing on strengthening and/or movement retraining exercises are recommended as first line treatments for patients with FAI syndrome, as they are effective at improving function, are lower cost, and have minimal risk of adverse events compared to surgical approaches (4,5).

Despite the clear clinical value of understanding what patients want and expect from treatment, no study has investigated the goals and expectations of patients with FAI syndrome regarding physical therapist-led treatment. A better understanding might facilitate collaborative goal setting, improve patient assessment, and develop meaningful patient-centred treatment plans for people with FAI syndrome.

Therefore, this study aimed to investigate patients’ goals and expectations regarding physical therapist-led treatment for FAI syndrome and explore associations between their expectations and self-reported hip burden, and kinesiophobia.

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome is present in 49% of young and middle-aged adults with hip-related pain.
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Physiotherapists should screen patients with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome for pathoanatomical beliefs and provide tailored education to patients.

METHODS

  • 150 patients with FAI syndrome enrolled in a randomized controlled trial comparing two different physical therapist-led treatment interventions (5) (targeted strengthening or standardized stretching) were asked, “Please describe the most important goal you would like to achieve in relation to
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