Hip Preservation with Dr. Masri

After Performing Over 2,000 Hip Surgeries, I Stopped Trusting MRI Results Alone

• Mahmoud

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For years, I let the MRI drive every treatment decision. I thought I was being thorough. I was wrong, and I was missing the most important part of the picture.

If you have been handed an MRI report, told you have a labral tear or a cam deformity, and left wondering what to do next, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I'm going to walk you through why I stopped trusting MRI results alone, what changed my mind, and the framework I now use before recommending any hip treatment.

TIMESTAMPS 
0:00 After Performing Over 2,000 Hip Surgeries, I Stopped Trusting MRI Results Alone
0:56 What I used to rely on and why it made sense 
1:41 The gap between imaging and pain 
3:56 What imaging first was actually producing 
7:24 Sarah's case, a normal MRI that wasn't the full story 
9:23 A positive MRI, a negative diagnostic injection 
10:15 Three questions to ask about your own MRI 
11:05 What I now believe about imaging 
11:40 How to prepare for your next appointment 
12:05 The one question to ask your surgeon

QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Does a normal MRI mean my hip is fine? 
No. A normal MRI does not mean a normal hip, and patients can have real, reproducible hip pain even when imaging looks clear. This mismatch is common and does not mean the pain is imagined. 

Does an abnormal MRI mean that finding is causing my pain? 
Not necessarily. An abnormal MRI does not confirm the abnormality is the source of your symptoms, which is why a diagnostic injection or a full clinical exam is often needed to confirm the true pain generator before any treatment is recommended. 

What is a diagnostic hip injection used for? 
It is a numbing injection placed directly into the hip joint under ultrasound guidance. If it relieves your pain temporarily, the joint is likely the source. If it does not, the real cause is probably somewhere else, such as the spine, pelvic floor, or surrounding muscles, and treatment should target that area instead.

📱 RESOURCES 
Appointment information: https://cincinnatisportsmed.com/physicians/mahmoud-almasri/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cincy_hipdoc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/malmasri7/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahmoud-almasri-md-2bb07145/

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ABOUT MAHMOUD ALMASRI, MD 
Dr. Mahmoud Almasri is a dual board certified orthopedic surgeon, FRCSC and ABOS, specializing in hip preservation, hip arthroscopy, and athletic hip disorders at Cincinnati SportsMedicine and Orthopedic Center. He has independently performed over 2,000 orthopedic surgeries and has seen more than 25,000 patients in practice, with more than 15,000 treated for hip related disorders. His approach centers on identifying the true driver of each patient's pain rather than relying on imaging alone. He uses a structured framework combining clinical assessment, imaging, and diagnostic injections to confirm the diagnosis before recommending any treatment.

#HipPain #HipLabralTear #HipSurgery #Orthopedics #HipArthroscopy