Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) rehabilitation in Canberra.

What the evidence says.

Femoroacetabular impingement was once treated as a surgical problem by default. The evidence has moved. The UK FASHIoN trial compared hip arthroscopy against structured, physiotherapist led exercise care and found both groups improved meaningfully, with only a modest average difference favouring surgery. For many people, a properly delivered exercise program achieves the outcome they want without an operation, and surgery remains available if conservative care genuinely fails. Importantly, cam and pincer shapes are common in pain free athletic hips, so the bone shape on your scan is not by itself the reason you hurt.

How I treat it.

Assessment maps which movements provoke you, what your deep hip rotators and glutes can currently produce, and how your trunk and pelvis control load above the joint. The program builds hip strength through ranges you can tolerate, deliberately avoiding the provocative deep flexion and rotation positions early, then reintroducing them gradually as capacity grows. For athletes we rebuild change of direction and kicking mechanics rather than hoping they survive the return.

Hands on work eases the hip flexor and adductor guarding that comes with a cranky hip, in the same session as the loading.

What we aim for.

• Sitting, driving and stairs without the pinch
• Hip strength measured and rebuilt on both sides
• A staged return to running, kicking and pivoting sports
• Surgery held as a genuine last resort, not a first stop