Postoperative Weightbearing Protocols After Arthroscopic Surgery for Femoroacetabular Impingement Does Not Affect Patient Outcome: A Comparative Study With Minimum 2-Year Follow-up.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of immediate postoperative weightbearing protocols after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) with minimum 2-year follow-up, as measured by patient-reported outcome measures and satisfaction rates. METHODS: Between January 2011 and June 2016, patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI and labral tears were reviewed. Exclusion criteria was previous hip pathology or arthroscopy, active Workers' Compensation claims, and concomitant pathologies impeding weightbearing. Patients who were operated on before September 2013 were treated with 3 weeks of postoperative non-weightbearing (NWB), with weightbearing as tolerated (WBAT) thereafter. From October 2013, patients were allowed immediate postoperative WBAT. RESULTS: A total of 351 hip arthroscopic surgeries were performed; 133 of these patients met the inclusion criteria. Of the 133 included patients, 69 were in the NWB group and 64 were in the WBAT group. No differences were found in terms of sex (P = .603) or age (P = .241). No differences were found in postoperative scores (the Modified Harris Hip Score was 84.5 [range 79-89] for NWB vs 86.7 [78-89] for WBAT [P = .0.523], and the Hip Outcome Score was 83.1 [78-88] vs 88.4 [80-90], respectively; P = .130). Subjective rates of improvement, satisfaction score and the will to undergo surgery again did not differ between the groups (P = .674, P = .882, P = .730). The rate of subjects who met or exceeded the MCID in the NWB and WBAT groups was 82.6% and 81.2% for the Modified Harris Hip Score (P = .838) and 79.7% and 82.8% for the Hip Outcome Score (P = .647). There were no reported complications. Limitations include the possibility of the study being underpowered. CONCLUSIONS: After a 2-year minimum follow-up, patient-reported outcome measures and satisfactory rates with immediate weightbearing after hip arthroscopy for isolated FAI syndrome and labral tears do not differ significantly from results after strict NWB rehabilitation protocols. Revising weightbearing restrictions may allow for a more comfortable rehabilitation process after arthroscopic hip surgery for FAI and labral repair. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3 - case-control study.