Your hip socket or “acetabulum” is covered by smooth cartilage. Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI), also known as hip impingement happens when the rim of the cartilage gets pinched. Typically, this pinching occurs when you move your hip into certain positions such as hip flexion in a deep squat. As a result, when this cartilage is pinched repetitively, irritation, tearing, or even detachment of the cartilage can occur.
Hip impingement occurs because of a mismatch between the ball and socket of your hip. There are two types that cause hip impingement: cam deformity and pincer deformity.
Cam deformity happens when the head of the femur is abnormally shaped. Therefore, preventing the femoral head from moving freely inside the hip socket. Cam deformity is common in young men between the ages of 20 and 30.
Pincer deformity happens by having too much cartilage in the hip socket. This deformity usually affects patients in their 30s and is more common in women. Pincer is seen in hypermobile patients such as ballet dancers or gymnasts