Symptom Severity due to Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome Is Correlated With Radiographic Signs of Acetabular Retroversion but No Other Impingement Parameters

Abstract

Background:

Radiographic assessment is central to the diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome. However, the relationship between specific bony morphology and symptom severity remains unclear.

Purpose:

We sought to evaluate the relationship between FAI morphology, quantified through preoperative radiographic measures, and preoperative symptom burden in patients with FAI syndrome.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective study of prospectively collected data that included a series of consecutive patients diagnosed with FAI syndrome who underwent hip arthroscopy by a single surgeon between January 2024 and October 2025. Inclusion criteria were (1) diagnosis of FAI syndrome and (2) availability of complete preoperative patient records, including X-ray images and preoperative patient-reported outcome measures. Exclusion criteria were (1) patients <14 or >60 years, (2) diagnosis that included FAI syndrome with concomitant intra-articular pathology, (3) hip surgery other than primary hip arthroscopy, (4) unavailable X-ray imaging, and (5) history of lower extremity osteotomy for abnormal rotational profile. Hip impingement measures were obtained on preoperative radiographs, including α angle, head-neck offset, anterior center-edge angle, and lateral center-edge angle, crossover sign, crossover ratio, and ischial spine sign. Preoperative symptom severity was assessed by the International Hip Outcome Tool-12 (iHOT-12). Multivariate models adjusted for demographics, mental health, physical activity, and corticosteroid injection history.

Results:

Among 285 patients (median age 34.9 years, 75.4% female), the median iHOT-12 score was 37.5. Proximal femur measures and acetabular coverage were not correlated with iHOT-12. The presence of crossover or ischial spine signs was associated with higher iHOT-12 on bivariate analysis and remained predictive of higher iHOT-12 after adjustment for demographics and injection status in multivariate modeling. All other radiographic measures were non-significant after further adjustment for mental health and activity level.

Conclusion:

Radiographic measures of retroversion are associated with better preoperative symptoms in patients with FAI syndrome. Other radiographic measures of hip impingement showed no meaningful association with preoperative symptom severity. For patients with FAI syndrome, psychological and functional factors exerted a larger influence on symptom severity than did impingement severity as reflected on radiograph.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV: retrospective case series.