Purpose
The first purpose was to evaluate radiographic pathomorphology/abnormalities in a
cohort of high-level collegiate football players screened with hip radiographs. The
second purpose was to define the radiographic predictors of athletic-related “hip”
and “groin” symptoms in this cohort of high-level athletes.
Methods
The study population included all male collegiate football players undergoing evaluation
and hip radiography at the National Football League (NFL) Scouting Combine in 2009
and 2010. All radiographs were evaluated with a detailed evaluation for hip pathomorphology.
Symptoms were recorded as symptomatic or asymptomatic with respect to athletic-related
groin/hip pain for comparative purposes.
Results
There were 125 players (239 hips) who had hip radiographs and were included in the
final cohort. Ninety percent of players (87% of hips) in this cohort had at least
1 finding consistent with cam-type and/or pincer-type femoroacetabular impingement
(FAI). There were 75 hips in the symptomatic group and 164 hips in the asymptomatic
group. Although the symptomatic group had a greater prevalence of cam-type FAI (P = .009), combined-type FAI (P < .001), and osteitis pubis (P = .014), increasing alpha angle (larger cam deformities) was the only independent
predictor of athletic-related groin pain (P = .01). There was no correlation, however, between FAI and body mass index (P = .659), player position (P = .166), or whether a player was drafted by an NFL team (P = .430).
Conclusions
Radiographic signs of FAI were frequently seen in collegiate NFL prospects who were
screened with hip radiographs. Although patients with radiographic evidence of osteitis
pubis, cam- and combined-type FAI, and larger cam deformities showed a statistically
higher prevalence of symptoms, increasing alpha angle (larger cam deformity) was the
only independent predictor of athletic-related hip/groin pain.
Level of Evidence
Level IV, therapeutic case series.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 28, 2013
Accepted:
October 23,
2012
Received:
February 24,
2012
Footnotes
The authors report that they have no conflicts of interest in the authorship and publication of this article.
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
