FASTHIP

Early versus Delayed weight bearing in FemoroAcetabular Impingement Syndrome patients undergoing Treatment with arthroscopic HIP osteochondroplasty: a protocol for a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial (FASTHIP)

Study Acronym: FASTHIP

Ethics: Yes

Study Type: Interventional, clinical trial

Study Status: Not yet started

Study Start Date: August 31, 2023

Study Description: There remains debate within the orthopaedic community as to whether or not patients should to be restricted to touch weightbearing post-operatively to prevent complications and improve clinical outcomes. A significant amount of variability exists in post-operative protocols following hip arthroscopy, including weightbearing restrictions and timelines for return to activity. Potentially unnecessary weightbearing restrictions may impact patients’ ability to work, increase care-giver burden as well as decrease the quality of life post-operatively for patients during their post-surgical recovery period. However, to date, no randomized trials exist comparing immediate versus delayed weightbearing in this patient population. The purpose of the current study is to examine if in adult patients undergoing hip arthroscopy and osteochondroplasty for FAIS, does early weightbearing produce non-inferior patient reported outcomes to protected touch weightbearing at 1 year post-operatively.

Total Sample Size: 173

Primary Site: Women’s College Hospital

PICOT

P: Participants will include adults aged 16-50 undergoing hip arthroscopy at participating sites for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome. Those with alternative hip diagnoses, prior hip surgery, workplace or medicolegal claims, pain disorders and/or hypermobile disorders will be excluded from participation.
I: Immediate weightbearing as tolerated versus touch weightbearing for 4 weeks following hip arthroscopy.
C: Patients in the protected weightbearing group (will be instructed to be touch weight-bearing, 10% of body weight for a period of 4-weeks postoperatively before commencing to be WBAT).
O: iHOT-33
T: Follow up to 12 months

Eligibility Criteria:

Inclusion criteria:

  1. Age: 16-50

  2. Diagnosis of FAIS25

  3. Booked for hip arthroscopy for FAIS at a participating site

  4. English literate

Exclusion criteria:

  1. Prior hip surgery (arthroscopic or otherwise)

  2. WSIB/medicolegal claim, complex regional pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, pain syndrome diagnoses, regular opioid use beyond 50mg morphine equivalents per day

  3. Hip dysplasia, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease or slipped capital femoral epiphysis, Arthritis > Tonnis 1

  4. Chondral matrix repair, microfracture/OATS

Funding: Not yet available.

Participating Sites: Women’s College Hospital (WCH) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Dr.Tim Dwyer, Dr. Jas Chahal, Dr Graeme Hoit)