Condition
Clinical reasoning and conservative management for FAI.
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is where the bones of the hip are shaped in a way that causes them to pinch during certain movements, often leading to groin pain and stiffness, particularly with deep squatting, sitting, or sport. It's common in active younger adults.
Physiotherapy is an important first-line option, using exercise and activity modification to improve hip strength, movement, and control, and to reduce painful pinching. In this guide we cover clinical reasoning and evidence-based conservative management for FAI, practical guidance for clinicians and clear explanations so patients understand their hip and how to manage symptoms before considering other options.
This article describes how the syndrome is defined, how it is assessed, and what the evidence shows about physiotherapist-led conservative management, including how a structured non-operative programme compares with surgery.
