No Difference in Hip Muscle Volumes and Fatty Infiltration in Those With Hip-Related Pain Compared to Controls.
Timothy H Retchford, Kylie J Tucker, Harvi F Hart and 6 others
PMID 35949368WHAT IT FOUND
People with hip pain had the same muscle size and fat infiltration as healthy controls.
However, smaller gluteus medius volume linked to worse function and quality of life, while muscle size correlated with strength deficits.
Key findings
01There were no significant differences in hip muscle volumes or fatty infiltration between those with hip pain and healthy controls, or between their symptomatic and less-symptomatic limbs.
02Smaller gluteus medius volume was associated with greater symptoms, poorer function, and lower quality of life in the hip pain group.
03Hip muscle volumes were significantly associated with muscle strength, such as greater gluteus maximus volume correlating with stronger hip abduction and internal rotation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Small sample size (16 pain, 15 controls) limits the generalizability of the findings. The healthy control group was on average six years younger than the hip pain group, which may influence muscle volume comparisons. The cross-sectional design prevents establishing cause-and-effect relationships between muscle volume and symptoms. Participants were recruited from a single surgeon, introducing potential selection bias. Pre-operative non-surgical management details (duration, specific exercises) were not recorded, so prior treatment effects cannot be ruled out. Only a subset of hip muscles was measured; adductors, flexors, and deeper stabilizers like the iliocapsularis were excluded.
Declared interests
The study was financially supported by Wesley Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia. The authors reported no other conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that hip pain is caused by muscle atrophy or fatty infiltration. This study found no difference in muscle size or fat content between people with hip pain and healthy controls. The weakness and functional limitations observed may stem from motor control or neural factors rather than structural muscle changes.