Do you hear a popping sound in your hip? It could be snapping hip syndrome, an easily treatable condition.
Like your shoulder, your hip is a ball-and-socket joint, a structure that allows for backward, forward, sideways, and rotating movements. At the hip, the upper end of the thigh bone, or femur, fits snugly into the rounded socket of the pelvic bone. Surrounding the joint is a web of cartilage, muscles, and ligaments that give it its mobility. However, because of its enormous range of motion, your hip joint is vulnerable to a number of orthopedic conditions — one of them being snapping hip syndrome.
Snapping hip syndrome affects roughly 5-10% of the population, with dancers and athletes most at risk. Fortunately, hip exercises and other conservative methods can resolve the issue, which will be detailed here.
What is snapping hip syndrome?
As the name suggests, snapping hip syndrome, or dancer’s hip, is characterized by a pronounced snapping sensation or popping sound when walking, rising from a chair, or swinging your leg. Snapping hip syndrome rarely produces pain. However, the longer it goes without treatment, it can lead to bursitis, a painful irritation of the fluid-filled sacs covering the hip joint.
Snapping hip syndrome results from repetitive motions, particularly hip bends. That’s why dancers and athletes who frequently bend at the hip are prone to the condition. Those repeated movements tighten the muscles and tendons surrounding the hip, leading to the snapping sensation.
The syndrome can develop in three areas of the hip. The most common cause is when the posterior iliotibial band (IT band) or the anterior border of the gluteus maximus (butt muscle) grates over the greater trochanter (the prominent protrusion on the side of the thigh bone), producing a noticeable snapping sound.
Treating snapping hip syndrome
Even if snapping hip syndrome causes no pain, treatment may be necessary to avoid a painful bout of bursitis. Your doctor will conduct a physical examination, moving your hip in different directions to hear the popping sound. He or she may also ask what activities accompany the snapping sensation. Imaging tests may be ordered to rule out other conditions.
Typically, conservative non-surgical methods can resolve the problem. Here are three you can try:
Rest. Avoid the activity causing the snapping sensation, or modify the activity so you’re not engaging the hip joint as much.
Medications. If the condition progresses to bursitis, anti-inflammatory medication or corticosteroid shots can reduce the pain.
Stretching exercises. For snapping hip syndrome, stretching exercises can unlock stiff muscles and relieve the issue. A physical therapist can help you find appropriate exercises, but you can start with these at home:
• Piriformis stretch: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross the foot of the affected hip over the opposite knee with your hands clasped behind your thigh. Gently pull your thigh toward you until you feel a stretch in your hip and buttocks. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side. Aim for two to three sets with four repetitions on each side.
• IT band stretch: As you stand next to a wall for support, cross the leg closest to the wall behind your other leg. Lean your hip toward the wall. You should feel a stretch along the outside of your hip. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Do two to three sets with four repetitions on each side.
If conservative methods fail to correct the issue, arthroscopic surgery may be required. However, that’s only in rare instances. In most cases, snapping hip syndrome responds successfully to conservative treatments.
Meet with the hip experts
At New York Bone & Joint Specialists, we focus on joint issues, including the hip. As a leading sports medicine center, our doctors and staff offer the latest in diagnostic techniques and treatment modalities. If you are having hip pain, we’ll develop a therapeutic plan to get you moving freely again. Contact us today for a consultation.
