Editorial Commentary: Axial Stress Examination Under Anesthesia Provides a Highly Reliable Test for Measurement of Hip Distraction.

Abstract

Symptomatic hip microinstability is now recognized as one of the most common surgical indications for revision hip arthroscopy. Hip microinstability can be difficult to diagnose, particularly because of the multifactorial etiology and limited physical examination maneuvers that provide objective testing of gross hip stability. One measure of hip stability is axial stability evaluated under traction intraoperatively. Recent research has suggested that average axial stability of the hip is decreased after primary hip arthroscopy-although not in all cases. Recognizing that there are many additional factors that may contribute to hip microinstability, as well as the fact that axial stability is only one assessment of overall stability of the hip, is important in the evaluation of microinstability in the setting of prior hip arthroscopy.