This systematic review combined data from multiple studies to look at hip shapes in young people. The researchers examined adolescents aged 10 to 19 and young adults aged 20 to 35 who are athletes. The total group included 1,241 adolescents and 2,462 young adults. The main goal was to see how often two specific hip shapes, called cam and pincer morphologies, occur in this population.
The analysis showed that 48% of participants had the cam shape. For the pincer shape, the rate was 18%. The study found no significant difference in these rates between the younger and older age groups. This suggests that these hip variations are common regardless of whether a person is in their teens or early twenties.
However, the researchers noted some important limitations. Few studies separated results based on whether participants had symptoms, and fewer studies included female athletes. Additionally, the diagnostic methods used across the different studies were not consistent. These factors mean the findings should be interpreted with caution.