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Hip Impingement (FAI)

Hip impingement can cause pain, stiffness, and limited mobility. Our personalised treatment plans focus on relieving discomfort, improving hip function, and helping you return to an active, pain-free lifestyle.

Understanding Hip Impingement

Hip impingement, medically known as femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), occurs when the shape of the hip joint changes and causes friction between the bones. Over time, this can lead to pain, stiffness, and gradual wear or damage to the surrounding cartilage and tissue. The condition can develop due to structural changes that appear over time or may be present from birth. There are two main types of hip impingement, which may occur separately or together:

Pincer-Type Impingement

In a pincer-type impingement, the hip socket tilts slightly backward instead of forward, which causes the rim of the socket to pinch the labrum — a ring of cartilage that helps stabilise the joint. This pinching is often felt when bringing the leg toward the chest, leading to irritation, inflammation, or even cartilage damage if left untreated. Both men and women can experience this type of impingement.

Cam-Type Impingement

With a cam-type impingement, the upper part of the thigh bone (femoral head) is not perfectly round, which restricts smooth movement inside the hip socket. This uneven contact can cause the cartilage to wear down or tear. Cam-type impingement may be a result of bone shape variations from birth or can develop gradually — it's more commonly seen in men. Hip impingement often affects active adults under 50 and, if untreated, can lead to osteoarthritis later in life.

Causes of Hip Impingement

Activities that involve repetitive hip movements or extreme ranges of motion — such as football, soccer, hockey, tennis, dance, or golf — can increase the risk. Poor posture, weak hip muscles, repetitive daily movements, and flat feet can also contribute.

  • Repetitive leg movements
  • Sports-related overuse
  • Weak or imbalanced hip muscles
  • Flat feet and altered posture

Symptoms of Hip Impingement

  • Pain or stiffness in the front of the hip
  • Discomfort when sitting, squatting, or twisting
  • Sharp or catching pain during certain movements
  • Reduced range of motion
  • Pain when leaning forward or sitting for long periods
  • Muscle weakness in the hips

Diagnosis

At Prestidge Chiropractic, your clinician will perform a thorough assessment including a review of your symptoms, range of motion, and strength. You may be referred for an X-ray or MRI to confirm the diagnosis. Your assessment may include walking analysis, squatting, flexibility testing, and balance checks.

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Treatment for Hip Impingement

Physiotherapy and chiropractic both play a key role in managing and improving hip impingement — often helping patients avoid surgery. Your treatment plan will be tailored to your specific needs, focusing on pain relief, improved function, and long-term prevention.

  • Manual therapy and joint mobilisation
  • Targeted strengthening and stretching programs
  • Core and lower body stability training
  • Posture and movement education
  • Activity modification and return-to-sport guidance
  • Balance and coordination exercises
  • Home exercise program for ongoing progress

Specialist & Regenerative Medicine Options

When conservative physiotherapy alone is insufficient, our Prestidge sports and exercise physicians can offer a range of specialist treatments to support healing and reduce inflammation within the hip joint, as part of a plan to help patients avoid surgical intervention where possible.
  • Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy — Concentrated growth factors drawn from your own blood are injected precisely into the hip joint to reduce inflammation, promote cartilage repair, and support tissue regeneration.
  • Hyaluronic Acid (Viscosupplementation) — Synthetic joint fluid (e.g. Synvisc or other hyaluronic acid products) is injected into the hip to restore lubrication, cushion the joint, and relieve pain associated with cartilage wear.
  • Prolotherapy — A targeted injection of a natural irritant solution stimulates the body’s healing response in and around the hip joint, strengthening weakened ligaments and connective tissue.
  • Corticosteroid Injections — Used to provide short-to-medium-term relief from acute flare-ups of hip pain and inflammation, allowing rehabilitation to progress.
  • Stem Cell Therapy — Where appropriate, mesenchymal stem cells derived from your own bone marrow or adipose tissue may be used to support cartilage regeneration and joint repair in the hip.

Our sports and exercise physicians at Prestidge work alongside your treating clinician to determine which option best suits your condition, goals, and stage of injury. Image-guided procedures are performed with precision and care. Visit prestidge.com.au to learn more about our full range of specialist services

Important: All specialist consultations, prescription treatments, and injectable procedures are subject to individual clinical assessment by a registered medical practitioner. Suitability, potential benefits, and risks will be discussed during your consultation. No treatment outcomes are guaranteed. Prescription medicines — including testosterone and peptide therapies — are only available following appropriate medical review and a valid prescription in accordance with TGA and AHPRA requirements.

If all non-surgical options are exhausted, we work closely with trusted orthopaedic surgeons and provide comprehensive post-surgical rehabilitation to restore full function as quickly as possible.