WHaT do WE kNoW aNd WHaT do WE sTIll NEEd To fINd ouT?

INTRODUCTION Groin pain is common in athletic populations. This pain may be more prevalent in high-level athletes and in certain sports, such as hockey and soccer, which place increased stresses on the groin region. Groin pain may often be related to hip pathology, and hip pain from a number of causes may also be a common finding in high-level athletes. This confluence of hip and groin pain may challenge diagnostic and treatment algorithms in symptomatic athletes. The clinical complaints associated with groin and hip pain after sportsrelated injuries are encountered across a number of medical disciplines, including orthopaedic surgery, physical therapy and radiology. According to one study, groin injuries account for 6% of athletic injuries1. Many athletes with chronic groin pain have multiple coexisting pathologies. In treating these patients, one must consider both musculoskeletal conditions and nonmusculoskeletal conditions that can present as groin pain. A comprehensive history and physical examination should guide the clinical evaluation. The substantial rise in the diagnosis and treatment of hip pathology is due in part to advancements in technology, coupled with an enhanced understanding of the underlying pathomechanics. The cause of primary or idiopathic osteoarthritis (OA) was, for most of the 20th century, widely thought to be unknown. Murray2, Solomon3 and Harris4 each proposed a mechanical aetiology for hip arthrosis. Much of the resurgence of interest and improvement in understanding the importance of hip arthrokinematics in the development of OA is attributed to the observation of the link between osseous abnormalities, hip pain, chondrolabral damage and eventual osteoarthrosis5. This theory proposes that “most, if not all hip osteoarthrosis is – Written by Michael Leunig and Atul Kamath, Switzerland WHaT do WE kNoW aNd WHaT do WE sTIll NEEd To fINd ouT?