Surgical Intervention for FAI Can Lead to Improvements in Both Hip and Back Function in Patients with Co-existing Chronic Back Pain at One Year-Follow Up

ABSTRACT: Purpose The purpose of the study is to determine if patients with coexisting lumbar back pain experience back pain improvement after undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Methods An IRB approved retrospective chart review compared patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI with lumbar spine back pain to patients solely reporting hip pain. The modified Harris Hip Score (MHHS) and Nonarthritic Hip Score (NAHS) were recorded preoperatively and at 1-year follow up . The Oswestry disability score, which quantifies disability from lower back pain, and visual analog scale (VAS) were recorded from the Hip-Spine (HS) cohort alone. Statistical analysis was performed using paired sample t-tests with p≤ 0.05 considered significant. Results Sixty-eight patients who underwent hip arthroscopy between November 2016 and October 2018 were enrolled. Thirty-four patients with a mean age of 48.2 ± 14.0 years and BMI of 26.6 ± 6.6 had a history of back pain and 34 patients were age- and sex-matched for the Matched-Control (MC) cohort. The MC cohort had lower MHHS and NAHS scores preoperatively. The MC cohort reported a larger increase in the MHHS (p= 0.01) and NAHS scores (p= 0.01) postoperatively. More patients in the MC cohort reached MCID with MMHS (p=0.003) and NAHS (p=0.06). Following surgery, the HS cohort reported a lower Oswestry Disability score, indicating minimal disability (p= 0.01). Conclusion Surgical intervention for FAI can lead to improvements in hip and back pain in patients with co-existing lumbar pathology.