This is most commonly an overuse phenomenon, but may be brought on by trauma, including intramuscular injection into the gluteus maximus and surgical procedures. Approximately 5-10% of the population is affected by snapping hip with the majority experiencing painless snapping.
Particular tendon stretching exercises such as iliotibial band stretch and iliopsoas muscle stretch will be indicated depending on the type of snapping you experience. Surgery is recommended when conservative approaches do not have an effect in resolving the snapping hip syndrome (which is rare).
Causes. Most of the time, snapping hip syndrome is caused by a tight muscle or tendon moving over one of the bony knobs in the hip. Many times, this muscle tightness is found in athletes, and caused by overuse. This condition is especially common in young athletes as the hips become very tight during growth spurts.
This condition is usually curable with time and appropriate treatment. Healing time varies but usually averages two to six weeks.
Chiropractic and massage therapy are interventions commonly used for snapping hip. The chiropractors at Kelsall Chiropractic can diagnose, then treat this condition using chiropractic manipulation/adjustments, myofascial release, Graston treatment, cold laser, ultrasound, and manual therapies.
Snapping hip syndrome is often considered just a nuisance, but if left untreated the symptoms may get worse and lead to early-onset joint degeneration. The good news is that conservative treatment can successfully alleviate snapping hips.
Stretching out your hips and legs after working out can help relieve hip tightness and pain. Lengthening and stretching your IT band and iliopsoas tendon can help reduce the tension in these areas and decrease hip snapping.
Often, walking and running in a straight line are snap free and pain free, although in some people, these activities are limited by the pain of the structure that is snapping.
If you're dealing with snapping hip syndrome and want to do something about it, you'll need to perform exercises designed to increase flexibility as well as strengthen your hips and your core. These exercises might include: Hip flexor stretch. IT band stretch.
With the aid of an aggressive physical therapy program, most active people can heal snapping hip syndrome in three to six weeks.
Surgery may be recommended in patients with snapping hip syndrome if another underlying condition exists within the hip, such as FAI (Femoroacetabular impingement) loose bodies or damaged cartilage. In more cases than not, a conservative treatment approach will correct a snapping hip.
The most common cause of snapping hip syndrome is tightness in the muscles and tendons surrounding the hip. Sometimes, a loose piece of cartilage, a cartilage tear or pieces of broken cartilage or bone in the joint space can lead to the snapping sound. This may also lock the hip causing disability along with the pain.
Internal snapping hip can lead to a tear in the hip labrum (cartilage rim around the hip socket). External snapping hip refers to the motion of the iliotibial band (IT band) over the lateral aspect (side) of the greater trochanter of the femur (the normal bone bump that can be felt on the side of the hip).
The least common cause of snapping hip syndrome is a tear of the cartilage within the hip joint. If there is a loose flap of cartilage catching within the joint, this may cause a snapping sensation when the hip is moved.
NSAIDs are the drugs of choice for treating pain associated with snapping hip syndrome. This class of drugs provides good analgesia and possible anti-inflammatory effects for concomitant conditions.
Treatment for Snapping Hip. Since snapping hip is often caused by muscle imbalances, your doctor will give you exercises to both strengthen and stretch your hip and thigh muscles. If you are experiencing pain from snapping hip, you may be given a prescription for an anti-inflammatory medicine.
Iliopsoas tendon release is sometimes recommended for people who have persistent and painful inner hip snapping syndrome. During surgery the physician makes strategic incisions in the iliopsoas tendon to lengthen it, reducing tension and the likelihood of hip snapping.
As X-ray is the modality dedicated for evaluation of bony structures, results from plain radiographs in patients with extra-articular snapping hip tend to be normal. Dynamic ultrasound is the gold standard diagnostic technique in both forms of extra-articular snapping hip syndrome(6, 14).
Internal snapping hip can lead to a tear in the hip labrum (cartilage rim around the hip socket). External snapping hip refers to the motion of the iliotibial band (IT band) over the lateral aspect (side) of the greater trochanter of the femur (the normal bone bump that can be felt on the side of the hip).