Arthroscopic Debridement of Hip Labral Tears in Dancers

Abstract

This study looks for the first time at outcomes of arthroscopic hip surgeries in dancers. The subjects were thirty dancers, mean age 20.1 years (range: 14.1 to 38 years), each of whom had undergone arthroscopic debridement of a hip labral tear at least five months prior to follow-up (range: 5 to 51 months), and completed two questionnaires, the modified Harris Hip Score (HHS) and a Dance Questionnaire (DQ) devised specifically for this occasion. The questionnaire responses demonstrate a significant average increase (p < 0.001) in HH scores, from a preoperative mean of 52.7 to 91.5 postoperatively, which indicates marked improvement in pain reduction and restoration of function. DQ responses verify significant pain reduction (preoperative 7.49 to postoperative 2.47), and show that 15 patients had returned at follow-up to full functionality. Close examination of the cases of the other 15 subjects suggests that most of them would also have been dancing at full capacity but for factors extraneous to the surgery or related to the extreme demands of the discipline. It is concluded that, while labral tears are particularly debilitating in this population, most dancers with this injury can anticipate an acceptable outcome of surgical intervention, with decreased pain, increased function, and return to dance.