Snapping Hip: What You Need To Know

Posted on May 22, 2007 and filed under Hip and Knee

Jenny loves to dance. It’s her main source of recreation and physical activity. She’s in top shape and has danced since she was five years old. Lately, however, Jenny has noticed a strange “snapping” feeling in her hip when she performs certain dance moves. The same snapping sensation also occurs when she gets out of her car. While it doesn’t cause her any noticeable pain, Jenny is still concerned. Being a dancer, Jenny is sensitive to changes in her body. She’s also very proactive when it comes to her health: she calls her doctor immediately and makes an appointment for an evaluation.

You Have Snapping Hip

After her physician takes her through a series of movements (and carefully makes notes), he finally announces she has a condition called “snapping hip”. He explains what snapping hip is, then refers Jenny to a physical therapist. Jenny is relieved to know that physical therapy is highly successful at treating snapping hip. She’s even more relieved to find out surgery and drugs won’t be needed…as long as she follows her physical therapist’s course of treatment. Jenny’s physical therapist recommends a regimen of physical therapy that is designed to reverse the causes of her snapping hip. She dutifully follows his advice. After six weeks, Jenny is pleased to discover that her snapping hip condition has now completely disappeared. She’s back on her feet and can now enjoy her favorite pastime.

How Common is Snapping Hip?

When you walk, get up from a chair or swing your leg around, do you feel or hear a “snapping” sensation in your hip? If so, you may have snapping hip just like Jenny. Don’t be alarmed, however. Snapping hip is usually painless and harmless, although the sensation can sometimes be annoying. Young athletes and dancers (like Jenny) frequently experience snapping hip.

Causes of Snapping Hip

This snapping sensation results from the movement of a muscle or tendon over a bony structure. Tendons are tough, fibrous tissue “bands” that connect muscle to bone. In the hip, the most common site for snapping hip is at the outer side where a band of connective tissue (called the “iliotibial band”) passes over the broad, flat portion of the thighbone. This part of the thighbone is known as the greater trochanter (tro-KAN-ter). When the hip is straight, this band of connective tissue is behind the trochanter. But when the hip bends, this band moves over the trochanter and remains in front of it. This band is always tight, like a stretched rubber band. Because of this rigidity and the fact that the trochanter juts out slightly, the movement of the band across it creates the “snap” you hear. While snapping hip is not serious, over time it can lead to a condition called hip bursitis. Bursitis is a thickening and fluid-filled sac that allows the muscle to move smoothly over bone. This is the most common reason for snapping hip. There is, however, another tendon that causes snapping hip. This tendon runs from the inside of the thighbone up through the pelvis. As you bend your hip, the tendon shifts across the head of the thighbone. Then when you straighten your hip, the tendon moves back to the side of the thighbone. It’s this back-and-forth motion across the head of the thighbone that causes the snapping sensation.

What Else Can Cause Snapping Hip?

A tear in the cartilage can cause the snapping or clicking sensation. So can bone debrisin the hip joint. Unlike the more common causes of snapping hip that are not usually painful, when snapping hip is caused by tears in the cartilage or bone debris in the hip joint, pain can occur. As a matter of fact, a loose piece of cartilage can even cause the hip to “catch” or lock up.

Diagnosis

Most people don’t bother seeing a doctor unless they feel some degree of pain. The doctor will first want to determine the exact cause of the snapping. You may be asked where it hurts, what kinds of activities bring on the snapping, whetheryou can demonstrate the snapping or if you’ve experienced any trauma to the hip area. You may also be asked to stand and move your hip in various directions to reproduce the snapping. The physician may even be able to feel the tendon moving as you bend or extend your hip. X-rays are normally requested. These may be used to rule out any other more serious conditions. Also, your physician may also request other tests so he or she doctor can rule out any other problems with the bones or joint.

Treatment

If your snapping hip is painless, no treatment is needed. If, however, your snapping hip bothers you, reduce your activity levels and apply ice. Stretching exercises prescribed by your physician or a physical therapist can also help. Sometimes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, may reduce discomfort. If your snapping hip has progressed and you’ve developed hip bursitis as a result (discussed in the next section), your physician may recommend an injection of a corticosteroid to reduce inflammation. Modify your sport or exercise activities to avoid repetitive movement of the hip. For example, reduce time spent on a bicycle; swim using your arms only. All of these treatments can reduce the occurrence of snapping hip. However, in the very rare cases that do not respond to conservative treatments such as these, surgery may be recommended. The type of surgery will depend on the cause of the snapping hip.