The role of hip arthroscopy in the athletic hip.

Hip joint problems in the athlete can be disabling, yet remain elusive to investigation. The arthroscope has proved essential in both the detection and treatment of many of these disorders. Less invasive methods with quicker return to safe competition has been a sine qua non of sports medicine. The incentive to return motivated athletes to a sport has proven fertile ground for advancement of arthroscopic techniques. This has been especially exemplified in the rapidly evolving field of hip arthroscopy, and has allowed these methodologies to find application in the management of patients of all levels of activity. As has been stated, the athletic field of competition represents one of the most fertile clinical laboratories in the world.