Athletes vs. Nonathletes: Who Does Better After Hip Arthroscopy?

Athletes over the age of 40 have better outcomes after primary hip arthroscopy than nonathletes of the same age, according to new research.

The study, “Outcomes After Primary Hip Arthroscopy in Athletes Older Than 40 Years Compared With Nonathletes,” was published online on June 6, 2022, in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.

For their study, the research team looked at two-year outcomes (minimum) for athletes older than 40 after having been treated with primary hip arthroscopy. Those results were then compared by the team to a control group of nonathletes. All the study subjects had participated in organized sports within one year before the arthroscopy treatment.

The team was able to collect data over a eleven year period, from between February 2008 and April 2019, and, specifically, looked at modified Harris Hip Scores, Nonarthritic Hip Scores, Hip Outcome Score–Sports Specific Subscales, and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores.

All told, the researchers enrolled 240 hips, 80 of which were athletes who had been propensity matched 1:2 to the nonathlete control group. Both groups were comparable when it came to baseline demographics, radiographic parameters, intraoperative findings, and the procedures performed.

Overall, the athletes reported better baseline and, after two years (some longer) patient-reported outcome measures (p < .05), higher satisfaction (p = .01), and higher rates of achieving clinically meaningful improvement across all the outcome tools used (p < .05).

The older athletes when compared with the older nonathletes had lower rates of secondary arthroscopy (0% vs. 7.5%, respectively; p = .001) and conversion to total hip arthroplasty (12.5% vs. 26.9%, respectively; p = .011).

“Absolute improvements in PROM scores were similar between the groups,” the researchers wrote.

This data further underlines the important physical and mental health benefits that sports provide people over the age of forty. Some research suggests that playing sport may contribute to more successful ageing for older adults.

The study authors include Benjamin R. Saks, M.D., Peter F. Monahan, David R. Maldonado, M.D., Andrew E. Jimenez, M.D., Payam W. Sabetian, M.D., Ajay C. Lall, M.D., and Benjamin G. Domb, M.D., all from the American Hip Institute Research Foundation. Gavin C. Hawkins of the American Hip Institute also contributed to the study.