Hip-related groin pain, patient characteristics and patient-reported outcomes in patients referred to tertiary care due to longstanding hip and groin pain: a cross-sectional study

Comparison Between Movement Pattern Training and Strengthening on Kinematics and Kinetics in Patients With Chronic Hip-Related Groin Pain

The purpose of this study was to compare the preliminary effects of movement pattern training (MoveTrain) versus strengthening/flexibility (standard) treatment on hip and pelvic biomechanics in patients with chronic hip-related groin pain. This is a secondary analysis of data collected during a pilot randomized clinical trial. Thirty patients with hip pain, between the ages of 15 and 40 years, were randomized to MoveTrain or standard. Both groups completed 10 treatment sessions over 12 weeks along with a daily home exercise program. Three-dimensional motion analysis was used to collect kinematic and kinetic data of the pelvis and hip during a single-leg squat task at pretreatment and immediately posttreatment. Compared with the standard group, the MoveTrain group demonstrated smaller hip adduction angles (P = .006) and smaller hip external adduction moments (P = .008) at posttreatment. The desired changes to hip joint biomechanics, as found in this study, may require specificity in training that could allow health care professionals to better customize the rehabilitation of patients with hip pain. These findings can also be applied to the design and implementation of future clinical trials to strengthen our understanding of the long-term implications of different rehabilitation techniques for patients with hip pain.

Sex Differences in Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Surgical Hip Preservation Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Female patients undergoing hip preservation surgery often have inferior patient-reported outcome scores (PROs), raising concerns about the clinical benefit of hip preservation surgery in women. Comparison of preoperative and postoperative PROs, and change in PROs, for female versus (vs.) male hip preservation patients was completed via systematic review.

Methods

In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, the MEDLINE, Cochrane Central, and Em-base databases were searched. Level I-IV studies of patients undergoing surgical intervention for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and/or developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) with at least two years of postoperative follow-up were included. Sex-stratified PRO scores or outcome information had to be included.

Results

We identified 32 hip preservation studies evaluating sex-related PRO differences, and/or providing sex-specific PRO data. The quantitative analysis of 24 studies (1843 patients) was stratified by DDH status. The modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Hip Outcome Score-Activities of Daily Living subscale (HOS-ADL), and Hip Outcome Score-Sport-Specific subscale (HOS-SSS) were assessed. Patients undergoing surgery for FAI only were 52.1% female (n= 806/1546). As predicted, women had lower preoperative PRO scores, however, they had significantly greater improvements in HOS-ADL (20.14±4.41 vs. 26.00±0.35, p<0.05) and HOS-SSS (33.21± 0.71 vs. 38.33± 0.46, p<0.05) compared to males. Similar results were found in the DDH cohort of 330 patients (72.1% female): females had lower preoperative PRO scores, but significantly greater improvement of mHHS (22.68±0.45 vs. 10.60±1.46, p<0.01).

Conclusion

The present review suggests that men undergoing surgery for FAI and/or DDH tend to have higher preoperative and postoperative PRO scores. However, it appears that women often have greater preoperative to postoperative improvement in PRO scores. This finding is strongest in surgical treatment of DDH. Level of Evidence: III.

Soccer players show the highest seasonal groin pain prevalence and the longest time loss from sport among 500 athletes from major team sports

PURPOSE

Groin pain is a widely recognized medical issue among athletes. Groin pain can affect both player and team performance and sometimes can be a career-ending injury. The aim of this study was to assess seasonal groin pain prevalence and the average seasonal time loss from sport for each injury in different team sport athletes. The hip and groin functionality at the beginning of the following season was also investigated.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was undertaken on 600 team sport athletes (soccer, futsal, basketball, volleyball, and water polo players). The seasonal prevalence of groin pain, level of competition (professional and non-professional), time loss, and concomitant injuries in addition to groin pain were reported and analyzed. The Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS) was used to assess hip and groin pain and function related to sport and activity.

RESULTS

Among the 506 (84%) players included, 123 players (24.3%) reported groin pain. Overall, soccer players reported the highest groin pain prevalence (32.5%) followed by futsal (25.5%), basketball (25.2%), water polo (17.6%) and volleyball players (13.6%). Professional soccer, futsal and basketball athletes showed higher groin pain prevalence in comparison with non-professional athletes (p = 0.02, p = 0.005 and p = 0.004, respectively). The mean time loss from sport due to groin pain was 60.3 ± 66 days in soccer, 41.1 ± 16.6 days in futsal, 31.5 ± 18 days in water polo, 37.2 ± 14.2 days in basketball and 50.8 ± 24.6 days in volleyball. Significantly lower HAGOS values were found in athletes with groin pain for all sports evaluated compared to athletes with no groin pain history (p =  0.0001). Longer time loss from sport was correlated with lower HAGOS values in soccer (p = 0.002) and futsal (p = 0.002) players with groin pain. Concomitant injuries were correlated with lower HAGOS values in water polo players (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Seasonal groin pain occurs in as many as one in four team sport athletes. Soccer players show the highest groin pain prevalence and the longest time loss from sport. Professional athletes report higher prevalence of groin pain in comparison with non-professional athletes. HAGOS appears to be a valid outcome instrument to measure groin pain, correlating with both time loss from sport and concomitant injuries in athletes.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

Physical impairments in longstanding hip and groin pain: Cross-sectional comparison of patients with hip-related pain or non-hip-related groin pain and healthy controls

OBJECTIVES

To compare physical impairments between patients with hip-related pain and those with non-hip-related groin pain, and to compare both patient groups with healthy controls.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

PARTICIPANTS

Eighty-one hip and groin pain patients were consecutively included and categorized into having hip-related pain or non-hip-related groin pain. Twenty-eight healthy controls were recruited.

SETTINGS

Tertiary care.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

All participants performed physical impairment testing including hip ROM, muscle function, and functional tasks. An analysis of covariates was used for analysis between patients groups and controls.

RESULTS

Patients with hip-related pain showed reduced hip ROM in internal rotation compared to patients with non-hip-related groin pain and controls (p ≤ 0.026, d -0.65; -0.97). No differences in muscle function or performance in functional tasks were observed between patients with hip-related pain and those with non-hip-related groin pain (p ≥ 0.136, d 0.00; 0.68). Both patient groups had worse muscle function and worse performance in functional tasks compared to controls (p ≤ 0.048, d -0.67; -1.83).

CONCLUSIONS

Both patients with and without hip-related pain had worse muscle function and worse performance in functional tasks compared to matched controls but no differences were observed between the patient groups. Only patients with hip-related pain had reduced ROM in internal rotation.

Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome and labral injuries: grading the evidence on diagnosis and non-operative treatment-a statement paper commissioned by the Danish Society of Sports Physical Therapy (DSSF)

This statement summarises and appraises the evidence on diagnostic tests and clinical information, and non-operative treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome and labral injuries. We included studies based on the highest available level of evidence as judged by study design. We evaluated the certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation framework. We found 29 studies reporting 23 clinical tests and 14 different forms of clinical information, respectively. Restricted internal hip rotation in 0° hip flexion with or without pain was best to rule in FAI syndrome (low diagnostic effectiveness; low quality of evidence; interpretation of evidence: may increase post-test probability slightly), whereas no pain in Flexion Adduction Internal Rotation test or no restricted range of motion in Flexion Abduction External Rotation test compared with the unaffected side were best to rule out (very low to high diagnostic effectiveness; very low to moderate quality of evidence; interpretation of evidence: very uncertain, but may reduce post-test probability slightly). No forms of clinical information were found useful for diagnosis. For treatment of FAI syndrome, 14 randomised controlled trials were found. Prescribed physiotherapy, consisting of hip strengthening, hip joint manual therapy techniques, functional activity-specific retraining and education showed a small to medium effect size compared with a combination of passive modalities, stretching and advice (very low to low quality of evidence; interpretation of evidence: very uncertain, but may slightly improve outcomes). Prescribed physiotherapy was, however, inferior to hip arthroscopy (small effect size; moderate quality of evidence; interpretation of evidence: hip arthroscopy probably increases outcome slightly). For both domains, the overall quality of evidence ranged from very low to moderate indicating that future research on diagnosis and treatment may alter the conclusions from this review.

Google Trends for Pain Search Terms in the World's Most Populated Regions Before and After the First Recorded COVID-19 Case: Infodemiological Study

BACKGROUND

Web-based analysis of search queries has become a very useful method in various academic fields for understanding timely and regional differences in the public interest in certain terms and concepts. Particularly in health and medical research, Google Trends has been increasingly used over the last decade.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the search activity of pain-related parameters on Google Trends from among the most populated regions worldwide over a 3-year period from before the report of the first confirmed COVID-19 cases in these regions (January 2018) until December 2020.

METHODS

Search terms from the following regions were used for the analysis: India, China, Europe, the United States, Brazil, Pakistan, and Indonesia. In total, 24 expressions of pain location were assessed. Search terms were extracted using the local language of the respective country. Python scripts were used for data mining. All statistical calculations were performed through exploratory data analysis and nonparametric Mann-Whitney U tests.

RESULTS

Although the overall search activity for pain-related terms increased, apart from pain entities such as headache, chest pain, and sore throat, we observed discordant search activity. Among the most populous regions, pain-related search parameters for shoulder, abdominal, and chest pain, headache, and toothache differed significantly before and after the first officially confirmed COVID-19 cases (for all, P<.001). In addition, we observed a heterogenous, marked increase or reduction in pain-related search parameters among the most populated regions.

CONCLUSIONS

As internet searches are a surrogate for public interest, we assume that our data are indicative of an increased incidence of pain after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as these increased incidences vary across geographical and anatomical locations, our findings could potentially facilitate the development of specific strategies to support the most affected groups.

Less hip range of motion is associated with a greater alpha angle in people with longstanding hip and groin pain

PURPOSE

A higher alpha angle has been proposed to correlate with lower hip range of motion, but the association in people with longstanding hip and groin pain is currently unclear. The aims were to: (1) assess the association between range of motion and alpha angle in patients with longstanding hip and groin pain; (2) examine if a cut-off value in range of motion variables could identify patients with an alpha angle above or below 60°.

METHODS

Seventy-two participants were consecutively recruited from an orthopaedic department after referral for hip- and groin-related pain. Passive hip range of motion was measured in flexion, internal rotation with 90° hip flexion, internal rotation in neutral hip position, external rotation with 90° hip flexion, and abduction. The alpha angle was calculated from a frog-leg lateral radiograph. Linear regression examined the association between range of motion and alpha angle, and an ROC-curve analysis was performed to identify the sensitivity and specificity of range of motion cut-offs.

RESULTS

Lower range of motion in internal rotation in flexion, external rotation, and abduction were associated with higher alpha angle. Internal rotation of 27° or less displayed good sensitivity (81%) and specificity (85%) to detect an alpha angle above 60°, while a cut-off of 41° in external rotation and 27° in abduction showed a sensitivity of 72% and specificity of 50% and 60%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Less internal rotation in flexion, external rotation, and abduction are associated with a greater alpha angle in a cohort of people with longstanding hip and groin pain. A cut-off of 27° in internal rotation has good sensitivity and specificity to identify people with an alpha angle above or below 60° and have the potential to be used in the clinical setting to identify patients that require further imaging, or that are unlikely to have cam morphology.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

II.

Combining results from hip impingement and range of motion tests can increase diagnostic accuracy in patients with FAI syndrome

PURPOSE

Clinical examination is an important part in the diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome. However, knowledge on reliability and validity of clinical diagnostic tests is scarce. The aims were to evaluate the inter-rater agreement and diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests to detect patients with FAI syndrome.

METHODS

Eighty-one patients (49% women) were recruited. Two experienced raters performed impingement and range of motion (ROM) tests. Three criteria had to be fulfilled for the diagnosis of FAI syndrome: (1) symptoms; (2) CAM and/or Pincer morphology; and (3) being responder to intra-articular block injection. For inter-rater agreement, the Cohen's kappa statistics were used (0.41-0.60 = moderate, 0.61-0.80 = substantial agreement). For diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated.

RESULTS

Anterior impingement test (AIMT), FADIR test and FABER test showed kappa values above 0.6. All passive hip ROM, except extension, had kappa values above 0.4. AIMT and FADIR showed the highest sensitivity, i.e., 80%, with a specificity of 26% and 25%, respectively. Passive hip ROM in internal rotation with neutral hip position had a sensitivity of 29% and a specificity of 94%.

CONCLUSION

The AIMT, FADIR and FABER tests were reliable between two experienced raters, while results from different raters for hip ROM should be interpreted with caution. The AIMT and FADIR test can only be used to rule out patients with FAI syndrome, while evaluation of ROM in internal rotation with neutral position may be more suitable to rule in patients with FAI syndrome.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

II.