Hip arthroscopy in athletes.

The hip has received relatively little attention as a recognized site of sports injuries. However, arthroscopy has been used to identify numerous treatable sources of intra-articular pathology with good results. Historically, athletes with hip injuries were simply resigned to living within the constraints of their symptoms, being diagnosed with an ill-defined chronic groin injury and often prematurely ending their competitive careers. Recognizing the presence of these problems has led to a better understanding of the mechanisms of hip injury (for example, macrotrauma, microtrauma, and degeneration) and an increased awareness of particular sports that increase the incidence of injury.