The indications for hip arthroscopy fall into two broad categories. In one, arthroscopy offers an alternative to traditional open techniques previously used for recognized forms of hip pathology, such as loose bodies or impinging osteophytes. In the other, arthroscopy offers a method of treatment for disorders that previously went unrecognized, including labral tears, chondral injuries, and disruption of the ligamentum teres. Most athletic injuries fall into the latter category. In the past, athletes were simply resigned to living within the constraints of their symptoms, often ending their competitive careers, diagnosed as a nebulous groin injury. Based on the results of arthroscopy among athletes, it is likely that many of these careers could have been rejuvenated with arthroscopic intervention.
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