Assessment and treatment of hip pain in the adolescent athlete.

Hip pain in the adolescent athlete is a common source of functional impairment and can limit athletic performance. In the past, many intra- and extra-articular hip abnormalities went unrecognized and were left untreated because of insufficient diagnostic imaging and limited surgical options. However, over the past 20 years, there has been a tremendous expansion research, and the understanding of the etiology of hip pain among such athletes has grown. Improvements in imaging modalities and technical innovations have led to greater diagnostic insights and creative new treatment strategies. This article explores the etiology and treatment of hip pain in the adolescent athlete.