Snapping Hip
What is snapping hip?
Snapping hip is a condition in which you feel a snapping sensation or hear a popping sound in your hip when you walk, get up from a chair, or swing your leg around.
There are a few different causes of snapping sensation;
- External (most common): where the Iliotibial band is snapping over the greater trochanter of the femur.
- Internal: where the Iliopsoas tendon is snapping over a bony prominence of the pelvis
- Intra-articular (least common): usually from traumatic injury.
Although snapping hip is usually painless and harmless, the sensation can be annoying. In some cases, snapping hip leads to tendon issues, bursitis, weakness and limited movement.
What are the symptoms of snapping hip?
Snapping hip causes a snapping noise within the hip when the hip joint is moved. This snapping may be combined with a sensation of the muscle getting caught and then released as it snaps over the bone. This snapping is usually painless.
Other symptoms include:
- pain
- reduced range of movement
- swelling/inflammation
- stiffness
- weakness
- difficulty completing tasks
What should I do if I have snapping hip?
If you have or suspect you have a snapping hip, you should arrange a physiotherapy assessment as soon as possible.
Physiotherapy treatment for a snapping hip.
Physiotherapy is important in the treatment of snapping hip. Initially, your physiotherapist will be able to diagnose your problem and determine the reason why you are experiencing your symptoms. Following the assessment, your physiotherapist will design a treatment plan to target your problems. Treatment often involves:
- Testing muscle stretch and muscle endurance to identify weaknesses
- Testing muscle range of motion and flexibility
- Providing exercises which aim to improve muscle strength and muscle endurance in the identified areas
- Stretching/ Mobilisation
- Single leg Stability exercises and balancing exercises to improve hip loading and hip stability
- Providing support for re-training for sport specific or function specific exercises; i.e. using movements which are specific to your daily or weekly requiremetns incorporating multiple joints
What shouldn’t I do if I have a snapping hip?
If you have a snapping hip, you should not ignore your problem. If the condition is ignored it is possible that it could become painful and interfere with your activities of daily life.
Could there be any long-term effects from a snapping hip?
With the correct treatment snapping hip does not cause long-term effects.
To arrange a physiotherapy assessment, go to aspiresportsphysio.com or give us a call on (02) 8798 6991
