Femoroacetabular impingement: manual therapy
Marco Primavera, Jennifer Baldassini
Femoroacetabular impingement is defined as a condition of abnormal contact between the femur and the acetabulum due to bony or soft tissue morphological abnormalities. Two different types of impingement are described: CAM impingement, in which the anomaly regards the head of the femur, and Pincer lesion, in which the anomaly regards the acetabulum, although in clinical practice one often finds the two forms combined. The treatment of FAI is usually surgical - there is little evidence to support non-surgical management. Regarding manual therapy, passive mobilization techniques are proposed, including glide manoeuvres aimed at reducing pain and improving the ROM. A multimodal approach that includes manual therapy techniques may be useful also as part of the post-surgical rehabilitation program.