Hip muscle strength in male and female patients with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome: Comparison to healthy controls and athletes

To examine hip muscle strength deficits in patients with femoroacetabular impingent syndrome (FAIS), with special emphasis on potential sex- and comparison-related (between-subject vs within-subject) differences. Cross-sectional comparative study. Forty FAIS patients (20 women), 40 healthy controls (20 women) and 40 athletes (20 women). Hip abduction, adduction and flexion isometric strength was tested using a commercially-available dynamometer. Two between-subject comparisons (FAIS patients vs controls and FAIS patients vs athletes) and one within-subject comparison (inter-limb asymmetry) of strength deficits were conducted, based on the calculation of respective percent differences. For all hip muscle groups, women were 14–18% weaker than men (p