OE Journal

ORIGINAL ANALYSIS

Is surgery for FAI better than physiotherapy?

Recent trials comparing arthroscopy with physiotherapy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome offer a mixed picture. Two studies reported better hip function after arthroscopy, while another found no meaningful difference between treatments over two years. Interpretation is complicated by methodological limitations, including challenges with blinding and concerns about risk of bias across all trials. Taken together, the evidence remains uncertain, and further rigorously designed studies—particularly those using sham or lavage comparators—are expected to clarify whether arthroscopy provides a true therapeutic advantage for FAI.