Adhesive capsulitis of the hip

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Adhesive capsulitis of the hip (ACH) lacks a clear definition.
• Patients often present with painful hip motion limitation, particularly difficulty with cross-legged sitting.
• Active stretching exercise (ASE) is a common recommendation for ACH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate clinical features and recovery in patients diagnosed with ACH.
• To assess the impact of active stretching exercise (ASE) on hip motion recovery.
• To determine the correlation between radiographic/MRI findings and clinical outcomes in ACH.

Main Methods:

• Telephone interviews were conducted with 44 patients (50 hips) diagnosed with ACH.
• Recovery of hip motion was analyzed based on adherence to ASE and imaging results (radiographs, MRI).
• Patients were assessed for improvement, lack of improvement, and recurrence of symptoms.

Main Results:

• 40 patients (45 hips) reported improved hip motion; 4 patients (5 hips) had no improvement.
• ASE compliance did not significantly affect motion recovery (p=0.225).
• Radiographic and MRI abnormalities (e.g., labral tears) were common but did not adversely impact recovery.

Conclusions:

• Most ACH cases demonstrate improvement in hip range of motion, irrespective of ASE adherence.
• Surgical treatments, including arthroscopy, appear unnecessary for managing ACH.
• Conservative management strategies are effective for adhesive capsulitis of the hip.