Regarding "capsular laxity of the hip: findings at magnetic resonance arthrography"

Hip Joint Effusion-Synovitis Is Associated With Hip Pain and Sports/Recreation Function in Female Professional Ballet Dancers

OBJECTIVE

To compare hip joint effusion-synovitis prevalence in professional ballet dancers with nondancing athletes and to evaluate the relationship between effusion-synovitis and clinical measures and cartilage defects.

DESIGN

Case-control study.

SETTING

Elite ballet and sport.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty-nine professional ballet dancers and 49 age-matched and sex-matched athletes.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES

Group (dancers/athletes), sex, age, years of training, Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Scores (HAGOSs), hip rotation range of motion (ROM), generalized joint hypermobility (GJH), and hip cartilage defect scores.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Hip joint effusion-synovitis (absent, grade 1 = 2-4 mm, grade 2 = >4 mm) scored with 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging.

RESULTS

Hip joint effusion-synovitis was found in 22 (45%) dancers and 13 (26.5%) athletes (P = 0.06). Grade 2 effusion-synovitis was only found in dancers (n = 8, r = 0.31, P = 0.009). The prevalence of effusion-synovitis was similar in men (n = 11, 26%) and women (n = 24, 43%, P = 0.09). Female dancers with effusion-synovitis had lower HAGOS pain (r = 0.63, P = 0.001) and sports/recreation scores (r = 0.66, P = 0.001) compared with those without effusion-synovitis. The HAGOS scores were not related to effusion-synovitis in male dancers or female and male athletes (P > 0.01 for all). Effusion-synovitis was not related to hip ROM, GJH, or cartilage defect scores (P > 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

Hip joint effusion-synovitis was related to higher levels of pain and lower sports/recreation function in female ballet dancers. Effusion-synovitis was not related to hip rotation ROM, GJH or cartilage defects. Larger sized joint effusion-synovitis was exclusively found in dancers.