Hip dysplasia in wrestlers: three lessons learned

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Sports medicine
• Athletic injuries

Background:

• Hip dysplasia is common in female athletes in high-motion sports.
• Hip problems are infrequently reported in male wrestlers, despite flexibility being advantageous in the sport.
• Undiagnosed hip dysplasia may affect wrestlers, potentially benefiting from surgical intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and impact of hip dysplasia in intercollegiate wrestlers.
• To report outcomes of reorientation periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) in wrestlers with hip dysplasia.

Main Methods:

• Level 4 evidence case reports.
• Three male intercollegiate wrestlers (ages 20-22) with hip dysplasia underwent PAO.
• Two patients also had concomitant arthroscopy.

Main Results:

• All three wrestlers successfully returned to intercollegiate wrestling.
• Return to sport occurred at 6, 8, and 11 months post-surgery.
• No complications were reported following PAO.

Conclusions:

• Hip dysplasia likely has an unrecognized prevalence among wrestlers.
• PAO is a viable treatment option for hip dysplasia in wrestlers.
• Successful return to wrestling is achievable after PAO for hip dysplasia.