Snapping hip syndrome (SHS) is a hip disorder that causes a pop or snap sound or sensation around your hip area whenever you move your hip or perform any physical activity like running or walking. While this hip joint disorder often affects athletes and dancers, any person, regardless of age or gender, can experience SHS at some point in their life.

This condition is often unpainful, and the only symptom most people will experience or feel is the “snap” or “pop” sound around the hip joint. However, if you are a dancer or athlete, SHS can cause uncomfortable pain and weakness in the affected hip joint region, affecting your performance.

Regardless of whether your SHS is painful or not, you do want to speak with a physical therapist to help you pinpoint the root cause of the problem and prepare appropriate remedy options. Our skilled and respectful physical therapists at Suarez Physical Therapy are here to help wherever you are in Las Vegas.

We can help you identify the source of the annoying snap sound around your hip to prepare a targeted treatment plan to improve your hip strength and return to your daily activities as soon as possible.

Common Causes of SHS

There are several causes of SHS, but this condition commonly happens when a tendon, ligament, or muscle rolls over the bony structure of your hip. The underlying root cause of the snap sound around your hip area will depend on the specific type of SHS that you have, namely:

Internal SHS

Internal SHS happens when tendons and flexor muscles slide over the end of your hip bone. In most cases, the snap sound occurs when the iliopsoas tendon, which connects your hip muscles to the thigh bone, slides over your pelvic bone during external rotation and flexion. When that happens, you could feel like your hip is popping.

Tightness of your quadriceps can also cause internal snapping sensations or sounds in your hip joint. People with internal SHS often experience a gradual and progressive onset of symptoms that can worsen with time when left unfixed. In severe cases, you could experience bothersome pain around the groin, and annoying popping sounds when you run or walk.

External SHS

External snapping hip syndrome happens when the iliotibial (IT) band rolls over the top region of your thigh bone “femur” at an area known as the greater trochanter, creating the SHS. External SHS is the most prevalent type of SHS, and patients with this condition will experience or feel snapping sounds when cycling or running.

A person with external HS could also experience pain and swelling in the affected hip region, making it difficult to lie or sit on that part of the hip.

Intra-articular SHS

While it is the least common type of SHS, intra-articular hip snapping can cause clicking sounds on your hip. Unlike external and internal SHS, intra-articular hip snapping is not due to tendons or muscles rolling over the bone structures of your hip. Instead, a hip joint issue or injury can cause intra-articular SHS.

Below are possible causes of intra-articular hip snapping among most people:

  • Acetabular labral injury or cartilage tear
  • Articular cartilage injury
  • Broken bone pieces or fragments

In most cases, this condition can happen suddenly due to injury or trauma. While every person is different, the following symptoms could be due to SHS condition:

  • Hip tightness
  • A clicking or snapping sound in your hip
  • Annoying noise around your hip joint
  • Hip swelling
  • Pain that lessens with reduced activities or rest
  • Difficulty standing or walking

If you experience any or all of the above symptoms, you should speak with a physical therapist for diagnosis to determine the source of the problem.

Snapping Hip Syndrome Diagnosis

When determining whether you have SHS, your physical therapist will check your general medical history and perform a physical examination. Your therapist could ask you a few relevant questions about your symptoms and other general information, such as:

  • The duration of the snap
  • The location of the snap
  • The impact of the snapping sensation on daily life
  • The timing of the snap

The physical examination could also include other basic tests which come into play when determining whether you have SHS. Some of these tests include:

  • Assessing your muscle flexibility
  • Rotating the affected leg outward or lifting it quickly
  • Gently feeling or palpating the affected hip region to confirm the injury’s specific location

In addition to reviewing your medical history and performing a thorough physical examination on your hip, your therapist could collaborate with other healthcare providers for further precise tests, including:

  1. X-ray – Unlike what most people think, X-ray imaging technology uses low radiation to create a detailed picture of your spine. In addition to confirming the SHS, your therapist could need x-ray pictures of the affected hip region to pinpoint any possible underlying conditions.
  1. MRI scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) – MRI scan could also be necessary to point out the cause of the intra-articular SHS and other possible underlying hip disorders such as:
  • Arthritis
  • Tumors
  • Hip joint synovitis
  1. Iliopsoas bursography – This diagnostic procedure could be necessary to visualize your iliopsoas tendons moving back and forth under fluoroscopy after injecting the bursa with contrast material or dye. In most cases, your therapist could find this procedure necessary to confirm internal SHS.
  1. Ultrasound – Your physical therapist could also recommend ultrasonography to reveal the snapping of the IT band over the head or top of your femur bone. This diagnostic test can help detect possible associated health problems like tendonitis, muscle tears, and bursitis.

A reliable physical therapist will have healthcare providers he/she can readily work with upon request to help with any necessary tests or diagnoses to determine the precise cause of your SHS for immediate treatment.

How a Physical Therapist Can Help if You Have SHS

After a thorough diagnosis and determining the precise cause of the SHS, your therapist will formulate an appropriate treatment plan depending on your:

  • Health history
  • Specific condition or site of the problem on your hip
  • Healing goals

The treatment plan or program your therapist will come up with could include home-based conservative exercises and activities you can perform and ways of preventing possible future injury. In the first one (1) to two (2) days after confirming SHS, your therapist could require you to:

  • Have adequate rest and avoid any physical activity that can trigger pain or snapping sound in your hip, including walking or cycling
  • Apply ice cubes wrapped on a soft cloth on the affected region of your hip for ten to thirty minutes after every three hours to reduce or prevent swelling
  • Schedule a consultation with another doctor for further tests, diagnostic tests, and medication

Generally speaking, the treatment plan your therapist will formulate or design for your unique SHS condition could include exercises and conservative treatments specifically designed to:

Improve Your Range of Motion

Your therapist or doctor will choose physical activities and remedy options that can help restore or improve normal movements in your hip and leg. These treatments could start with simple hip and leg movements that your therapist can perform for you gently and progress to more active stretches and exercises you can perform yourself at home to target any abnormal tightness in your hip muscles.

Some of the stretching exercises you can perform at home to increase the range of motion in your hip joint include (but are not limited to):

  • Iliotibial band stretch
  • Hip flexor stretch
  • Hamstring stretch
  • Yoga

Improve Strength

Strong muscles make your body stronger and less susceptible to injuries and health conditions like SHS. Your therapist or doctor will select and teach you appropriate physical exercises to restore or improve your power, agility, and strength.

Most of the strengthening exercises your therapist could need you to perform could require weight-lifting equipment, resistance bands, and exercise machines like a treadmill or a stationary bike. Specifically, these exercises will target your hip and abdomen (core) muscles.

Reduce Pain

Apart from applying ice, your therapist could help you manage or reduce pain in the affected region of your hip joint in the following ways:

  • Exercises
  • Hands-on therapy
  • Taping
  • Heat or electrical stimulation

The specific pain remedy your therapist or doctor will choose will depend on your type of SHS and other underlying health issues.

Speed-up the Recovery

A reliable and seasoned physical therapist will also help you choose exercises and treatments that will help you return to your daily activities and achieve your healing goals faster.

Return or Resume the Activities You Used to Enjoy

Your doctor or therapist will be ready to work with you to plan ways that can help you reach your recovery and healing goals, including returning to work or sporting activities that you enjoy as soon as possible.

If the cause of your condition involves muscles, your therapist could recommend hands-on therapy and advise you on helpful exercise techniques to help you return to your daily activities.

Prevent Possible Future Hip Re-Injury

If the cause of your SHS condition was an injury, your therapist could also recommend a home-based exercise program that can stretch and strengthen your muscles and tendons around or near your hip, core, and upper leg. These exercises could include flexibility and strength exercises for your core,  thigh, and hip muscles to prevent possible future re-injury.

Other Treatment Options Your Physical Therapist Could Consider if You Have SHS

Often, physical therapy is enough to manage and treat SHS conditions in most people. However, you should speak with your therapist if the pain becomes severe or does not improve over time. Below are other treatment options your therapist could consider to manage or lessen symptoms of SHS:

Corticosteroids Injection

If you are a dancer or an athlete and want to return to what you do best as soon as possible, your doctor could recommend a corticosteroid injection if you have bursitis (inflamed bursa). A corticosteroid injection is an anti-inflammatory medication that can help reduce swelling and inflammation of the bursa to treat bursitis.

Surgery

While it is rare, your doctor could also recommend surgery to manage and relieve symptoms of SHS. Depending on the specific underlying cause of this hip disorder, the treatment procedures your orthopedic surgeon could recommend for your snapping hip syndrome could include the following:

  1. Iliopsoas Tendon Release

If you have internal SHS, the specialist you will consult could recommend iliopsoas tendon release. As the name implies, during this procedure, your surgeon will lengthen the iliopsoas tendon to reduce muscle tension and the snapping sound in your hip.

  1. Iliotibial Band Release

For patients with external SHS, this surgical procedure could be necessary to lengthen your IT band and lessen tension and the snapping sensation in your hip.

  1. Arthroscopic Hip Debridement

With this treatment option, your doctor or surgeon will cut a minor incision in your hip joint cavity to eliminate debris after numbing the incision site with anesthesia to make the procedure pain-free. Typically, this procedure is recommended for patients with intra-articular snapping hip conditions.

Once you consult a specialist, he/she will know the suitable surgical procedure for your unique SHS condition. Your physical therapist can recommend a reliable and credible orthopedic surgeon to offer you these surgical services at a cost-friendly price to relieve the annoying symptoms of SHS and return to your daily chores.

While SHS is not a life-threatening health condition, it can lead to severe complications in the future, especially when left untreated or unchecked, including hip bursitis, iliopsoas tendon snap, and persistent hip pain.

Therefore, the sooner you speak with a physical therapist, the better to determine the root cause of SHS and design a treatment plan to manage the annoying symptoms of this hip disorder.

General Tips to Help You Find a Physical Therapist for Your SHS Condition

While there are several physical therapists you can consult if you have SHS, not every expert will offer you the quality and effective services you deserve for a speedy recovery. Here are tips to aid you in finding a dependable physical therapist for your unique SHS condition:

  1. Seek Recommendations

If they know any, talk with your friends, healthcare providers, and colleagues to recommend you a specialist they trust with these services. Recommendations from any of these people can significantly reduce your options to find a dependable physical therapist without a hassle.

  1. Consider Your Prospective Therapist’s Qualifications and Experience

Undoubtedly, the quality of the services of any expert depends on his/her work experience. During your initial consultation with your prospective therapist, remember to ask him/her relevant questions about his/her qualifications and experience.

A physical therapist with significant experience with patients with a similar hip disorder will know the effective treatment options that can work in your favor for a speedy recovery.

  1. Consider Your Prospective Therapist’s Reputation

A therapist’s reputation can say a lot about his/her quality of services. A therapist with credible services will have his/her reputation precede him/her. One way to find out whether your prospective therapist is reputable or not is by checking his/her past client reviews or comments on his/her website or social media platforms.

If the reputation of your prospective therapist is credible, you should expect to see positive comments or reviews on his/her website and vice versa.

  1. Consider the Therapist’s Cost of Services

Finally, the services of the therapist you will decide to settle with will depend on your budget. Look for a therapist with cost-friendly services that suit your budget. You can ask your prospective physical therapist about his/her cost of services during your first consultation to know the amount of money you need for the therapy services ahead of time.

Helpful Tips to Help You Prevent SHS in Future

Although sometimes it is impossible to prevent SHS, you can reduce the chances of developing this health condition by:

  • Warming up before any physical activity or exercise to make your body flexible
  • Gradually increasing the intensity of a sport or any physical activity
  • Wearing proper and well-fitted shoes to provide necessary arch support, especially if you are a dancer
  • Staying hydrated to keep your body joints lubricated and improve the range of motion in your hip
  • Following a consistent flexibility and strength training plan to maintain or improve your physical conditioning throughout, even when you are on a break from sporting activities

Like any other medical condition, you should speak with your doctor if the symptoms persist or become severe over time.

Find a Las Vegas Physical Therapist Near Me

While most cases of snapping hip syndrome are harmless, this condition can reduce your quality of life and increase the risk of hip joint damage when left untreated. For dancers and athletes, this health condition can also lower their performance in what they do best.

If you are experiencing a clicking or snapping sound at your hip joint paired with limited mobility, it would be wise to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Although you can treat or manage this condition in the comfort of your home, more severe cases could require physical therapy and even medication or surgery to treat.

We at Suarez Physical Therapy can help you identify the source of the clicking sound in your hip joint and prepare a targeted treatment program to help you heal and return to the activities you enjoy doing. We invite you to call us at 702-368-6778 to schedule an obligation-free consultation with our therapist wherever you are in Las Vegas, Nevada.