The Dancer’s Hip: The Hyperflexible Athlete: Anatomy and Mean 3‐Year Arthroscopic Clinical Outcomes

PURPOSE: To report preoperative anatomy, patient-related outcomes measures, and return to dance rates in a cohort of competitive dancers undergoing an arthroscopic hip procedure. METHODS: Competitive dancers who underwent an arthroscopic hip procedure between 2008 and 2016 were included. Specific types of dance performed, morphology, and radiographic parameters were documented. Outcomes were evaluated with Modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey, visual analog scale, and Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores (HOOS). RESULTS: There were 63 competitive dancers (77 hips) with a mean age 21.2 years in the current study. Specific types of dance performed included 57 studio dance and 41 high-kick dance, and 28 dancers (44%) were professional-level. Morphology included cam-type femoroacetabular impingement (95%), pincer-type femoroacetabular impingement (40%), anterior inferior iliac spine impingement (subspine) (83%), and mild (borderline) dysplasia (11%). Procedures performed included 95% labral repairs, 5% labral debridements, 99% femoral resections, 49% rim resections, 88% subspine decompressions, and 66% capsular plications. At mean 36 months' follow-up post-arthroscopy, the mean outcome improvements were 25.6 points (mHHS), 18.9 points (HOOS-activities of daily living), 29.9 points (HOOS-Sports), 8.7 points (12-Item Short Form Health Survey), and 3.7 points (visual analog scale) (P < .01 for each). Scores were significantly improved from preoperatively to most recent follow-up for mHHS (60.0 vs 85.6 points), HOOS-activities of daily living (72.5 vs 91.5 points), and HOOS-Sports (49.7 vs 79.6) (P < .01). Sixty-three percent of dancers returned to their previous level of competitive dance, 21% returned to limited or modified dance, and 16% were unable to return to dance, including 1 retirement. CONCLUSIONS: A careful arthroscopic approach to address cam-type pathomorphology, highly prevalent subspine impingement, and capsular laxity in competitive dancers can achieve a modest rate of return to sport and good-to-excellent patient-reported outcomes at short- to mid-term (3-year) follow-up. Eighty-four percent of dancers ultimately returned to competitive dance, although only 63% returned to their preinjury competitive level. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, case series.