Biomechanical Investigation of Symptomatic FAI and Two Groups of Asymptomatic Controls (CAM-FAI adult)

March 12, 2026 updated by: Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

An Integrated Biomechanical Investigation of Subjects With Symptomatic FAI and Two Groups of Asymptomatic Controls: a Comparison in Dynamic Tasks

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is an orthopaedic condition that is primarily characterized by the presence of anatomic bony abnormalities in the femoral head and/or the acetabulum resulting in an abnormal contact between the two during hip motion, especially in positions of increased hip flexion and rotation, ultimately leading to hip pain. Unfortunately, a FAI diagnosis is frequently only made once symptoms have become severe to an extent that they limit everyday life activities. Moreover, another important aspect that has been consistently overlooked in past FAI movement studies is the influence muscle strength and activation can have on movement pattern and symptom presentation. The diagnosis and management of FAI needs to be addressed through a more wholesome investigation of the biomechanical influence on the manifestation of symptoms.

This project aims to further unravel the link between spinopelvic anatomy, its biomechanical contribution to femoro-pelvic motion and the manifestation of femoroacetabular impingement in adult male population. By, for the first time, integrating three-dimensional (3D) instrumented motion analysis with state-of-the-art full-body biplanar X-ray imaging (EOS imaging, Paris France), we will more specifically investigate the presence of an association between spinopelvic kinematics and the link to symptomatic FAI morphology, as well as investigate the presence of differences in these measures between symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects with comparable femoral morphology.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is an orthopaedic condition that is primarily characterized by the presence of anatomic bony abnormalities in the femoral head and/or the acetabulum resulting in an abnormal contact between the two during hip motion, especially in positions of increased hip flexion and rotation, ultimately leading to hip pain. FAI can be radiologically classified into 3 types of morphology: Pincer, CAM and mixed type. While a clear-cut radiological classification makes the identification of FAI seem quite straightforward, it fails to differentiate between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

Unfortunately, a FAI diagnosis is frequently only made once symptoms have become severe to an extent that they limit everyday life activities. Not only this movement restriction is a significantly debilitating factor in such a young active population, a recent study reported FAI patients to see on average 4.0 health care providers, undergo on average 3.4 diagnostic imaging tests, and receive on average 3.1 treatments prior to final diagnosis. This raises the cost of an individual FAI diagnosis to be €1,563.26 higher than the calculated minimum required cost. Such calculations clearly reveal the long-lasting, multifactorial burden of FAI on society.

Moreover, another important aspect that has been consistently overlooked in past FAI movement studies is the influence muscle strength and activation can have on movement pattern and symptom presentation. To our knowledge only three studies have looked into muscle strength by using mainly hand-held dynamometers to record the isometric strength of hip musculature. Their findings suggest hip muscle weakness in symptomatic FAI subjects, but whether this weakness is a pain protective consequence, or an actual cause of FAI is still unknown.

In conclusion, the diagnosis and management of FAI needs to be addressed through a more wholesome investigation of the biomechanical influence on the manifestation of symptoms.

This project aims to further unravel the link between spinopelvic anatomy, its biomechanical contribution to femoro-pelvic motion and the manifestation of femoroacetabular impingement in adult male population. By, for the first time, integrating three-dimensional (3D) instrumented motion analysis with state-of-the-art full-body biplanar X-ray imaging (EOS imaging, Paris France), we will more specifically investigate the presence of an association between spinopelvic kinematics and the link to symptomatic FAI morphology, as well as investigate the presence of differences in these measures between symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects with comparable femoral morphology.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
99

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Exclusion Criteria:

- Participants in all three study groups will be excluded if x-ray scans shows a pincer FAI morphology or radiological sign of osteoarthritis.

Inclusion Criteria:

  • All participants will be males aged between 21 and 35 years old.

  • For symptomatic CAM-FAI patients

    1. The presence of CAM-FAI morphology at the head-neck junction of the femur
    2. Alpha angle >60
    3. Reduced hip internal rotation (IR<15)

  • For asymptomatic CAM controls:

    1. Exhibit asymptomatic CAM on x-ray scansAlpha angle >60

  • For Healthy control group:

    1. Exhibit no symptoms or abnormal morphologies of the proximal femur (Alpha angle >60 , IR>15).

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Symptomatic CAM-FAI patients
33 patients that exhibit symptomatic CAM-FAI on medical imaging (Alpha angle >60) and have reduced hip internal rotation (IR<15). All participants in this group will be males aged between 21 and 35 years old.
Diagnostic test: EOS
Every subject in this study will undergo a radiographic analysis of the hip and spine using a low-dose, full-body biplanar X-ray acquisition (in standing, sitting and squatting position, EOS imaging).
Diagnostic test: 3D motion lab analysis

A hip-specific 3D motion analysis will be performed. The 3D motion protocol will be divided into 2 main sections.

First section: Consist of movements categorized within the activities of daily living (walking at self-selected speed, uphill walking, standardized deep squat and non-standardized deep squat)

Second section: Consists of movements that are categorized within athletic training and have been specifically chosen to induce large hip ranges of motion (Sumo squats, dead lifts, forward lunges, running uphill and downhill)

Each movements will be repeated 6 times. Three times with the dominant foot/opposite leg on the force plate to collect kinetic data. All data will be captured using two 10-15 camera 3D motion capture systems and one capturing an instrumented treadmill (M-gait)
Experimental: Asymptomatic CAM-FAI patients
33 healthy control that exhibit asymptomatic CAM on x-ray scans (Alpha angle >60). All participants in this group will be males aged between 21 and 35 years old.
Diagnostic test: EOS
Every subject in this study will undergo a radiographic analysis of the hip and spine using a low-dose, full-body biplanar X-ray acquisition (in standing, sitting and squatting position, EOS imaging).
Diagnostic test: 3D motion lab analysis

A hip-specific 3D motion analysis will be performed. The 3D motion protocol will be divided into 2 main sections.

First section: Consist of movements categorized within the activities of daily living (walking at self-selected speed, uphill walking, standardized deep squat and non-standardized deep squat)

Second section: Consists of movements that are categorized within athletic training and have been specifically chosen to induce large hip ranges of motion (Sumo squats, dead lifts, forward lunges, running uphill and downhill)

Each movements will be repeated 6 times. Three times with the dominant foot/opposite leg on the force plate to collect kinetic data. All data will be captured using two 10-15 camera 3D motion capture systems and one capturing an instrumented treadmill (M-gait)
Experimental: Healthy controls
33 healthy control that exhibit no symptoms or abnormal morphologies of the proximal femur (Alpha angle >60 , IR>15). All participants in this group will be males aged between 21 and 35 years old.
Diagnostic test: EOS
Every subject in this study will undergo a radiographic analysis of the hip and spine using a low-dose, full-body biplanar X-ray acquisition (in standing, sitting and squatting position, EOS imaging).
Diagnostic test: 3D motion lab analysis

A hip-specific 3D motion analysis will be performed. The 3D motion protocol will be divided into 2 main sections.

First section: Consist of movements categorized within the activities of daily living (walking at self-selected speed, uphill walking, standardized deep squat and non-standardized deep squat)

Second section: Consists of movements that are categorized within athletic training and have been specifically chosen to induce large hip ranges of motion (Sumo squats, dead lifts, forward lunges, running uphill and downhill)

Each movements will be repeated 6 times. Three times with the dominant foot/opposite leg on the force plate to collect kinetic data. All data will be captured using two 10-15 camera 3D motion capture systems and one capturing an instrumented treadmill (M-gait)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The presence of CAM morphology in combination with symptoms
Time Frame: Baseline
  1. = yes morphology, yes symptoms;
  2. = yes morphology, no symptoms;
  3. = no morphology, no symptoms
Baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS)
Time Frame: Baseline
Consists of six separate subscales assessing Pain, Symptoms, Physical function in daily living, Physical function in Sport and Recreation, Participation in Physical Activities and hip and/or groin-related Quality of Life (QOL).
Baseline
Radiographic spinopelvic parameters
Time Frame: Baseline
Radiographic spinopelvic parameters will be collected via a radiographic analysis of the hip and spine using a low-dose, full-body biplanar X-ray acquisition (in standing, sitting and squatting position) as well as a classic x-ray image in 45° Dunn view of both hips.
Baseline
3D motion analysis parameters
Time Frame: Baseline
3D motion analysis parameters will be collected via a hipspecific 3D motion analysis where different movements will be performed on the force plate.
Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Stijn Ghijselings, MD, Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
July 28, 2022

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 6, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 14, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 22, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 16, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 12, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • S66441

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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