Hip Arthroscopy vs Physical Therapy for Acetabular Labral Tears: Analysis of a Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives:Hip arthroscopy is an effective surgical intervention for patients with symptomatic labral tears of the hip. However, there is debate as to which patients benefit from this procedure. Studies have shown that outcomes following arthroscopic labral repair in older patients have been unpredictable compared to the more predictable, positive outcomes commonly seen in younger populations. These older patients, who often have variable degrees of osteoarthritis, may benefit from non-surgical management, such as physical therapy, as a viable treatment modality. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of physical therapy to hip arthroscopy for patients age 40 and older with a symptomatic labral tear.Methods:After IRB approval, patients were prospectively identified and randomized into one of two study arms: arthroscopic surgery (AS) or physical therapy (PT). A third study arm, dependent upon improvement with PT, was created as patients crossed over (CO) from PT to AS after a lack of improve...