Radiographic findings of femoroacetabular impingement in capoeira players.
OBJECTIVE
Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that requires extreme movements of the hip to perform jumps and kicks. This study evaluated a group of capoeira players to assess the prevalence of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) in athletes practicing this martial art.


METHODS
Twenty-four experienced capoeira players (14 men, 10 women) underwent a diagnostic assessment, including clinical examination and standard radiographs of the pelvis and hips. The α-angle, head-neck offset, crossover sign, acetabular index, lateral centre-edge angle, and the Tönnis grade were assessed using the radiographs. Clinical relationships for any radiographic abnormalities indicating FAI were also evaluated.


RESULTS
Four subjects (17 %) reported pain in their hips. Forty-four hips (91.7 %) had at least one radiographic sign of CAM impingement, and 22 (45.8 %) had an α-angle of more than 60°. Eighteen hips (37.5 %) had at least one sign of pincer impingement and 16 (33.3 %) a positive crossover sign. Sixteen hips (33.3 %) had mixed impingement. There was a significant positive association between having an α-angle of more than 60° and the presence of groin pain (P = 0.002). A reduced femoral head-neck offset (P < 0.001) and an increased α-angle on the anteroposterior radiograph (P = 0.008) were independently associated with a higher Tönnis grade.


CONCLUSIONS
High prevalence of radiographic CAM-type FAI among these skilled capoeira players was found. In these subjects, a negative clinical correlation for an increased α-angle was also detected. Additional caution should be exercised whenever subjects with past or present hip pain engage in capoeira.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, "Federico II" University, Policlinico Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, bd. 12, 80131, Naples, Italy, maricond@unina.it.
Massimo
M
Mariconda
Andrea
A
Cozzolino
Francesco
F
Di Pietto
Manuel
M
Ribas
Vittorio
V
Bellotti
Alessandra
A
Soldati
D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D057925:Femoracetabular Impingement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016139:Martial Arts / Q000293:injuries*; D010146:Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography