What Is Snapping Hip Syndrome? Snapping hip syndrome is a condition in which you feel a snap on the outside portion of your hip as you walk or run. It may happen only occasionally or it may happen all the time.
How Does It Occur? Several groups of muscles cross the hip as they pass from the thigh bone to the pelvis. When you bring your knee forward during walking, you may have a feeling of snapping in the hip. The snapping usually occurs because of tightness in a muscle called the iliopsoas or tightness in a muscle called the tensor fascia lata.
What Are The Symptoms Of Snapping Hip Syndrome? You feel snapping in your hip as you walk or run.
How Is It Diagnosed? Your doctor will examine your hip and thigh. He or she may be able to feel the muscle group that is snapping as the leg moves forward.
What Is The Treatment For Snapping Hip Syndrome? Since this problem usually occurs because some muscles are too tight and some muscles are too loose, you will be given exercises to both strengthen and stretch your hip and thigh muscles. Your doctor may prescribe and anti inflammatory medications if this area is painful. If this area becomes inflamed, your doctor may recommend that you put ice packs on the area for 20 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours for 2 to 3 days or until the pain goes away.
When Can I Return To My Sport Or Activity? The goal of rehabilitation is to return you to your sport or activity as soon and as safely as possible. If you return too soon you may worsen your injury which could lead to permanent damage. Everyone recovers from injury at a different rate. Return to your sport or activity will be determined by how soon your hip recovers not by how many days or weeks it has been since your injury has occurred. In general, the longer you have symptoms before you start treatment the longer it will take to safely return to your sport or activity. You may return to sports or activity when, starting from the top of the list and progressing to the end, each of the following is true:
- 1. You have full range of motion in the injured leg compared to the uninjured leg compared to the uninjured leg.
- 2. You have full strength of the injured leg compared to the uninjured leg.
- 3. You can jog straight ahead without pain of limping.
- 4. You can do 45-degree cuts first at half-speed then at full-speed.
- 5. You can do 20- yard figures-of-eight, first at half-speed, then at full-speed.
- 6. You can do 90-degree cuts, first at half speed, then at full speed.
- 7. You can do 10-yard figures of eight, first at half-speed, then at full-speed.
- 8. You can jump on both legs without pain and you can jump on the injured led without pain.
How Can I Prevent Snapping Hip Syndrome? Snapping hip syndrome may be prevented by stretching the muscles that cross the hip from muscles that cross the hip from the pelvis to the thigh bone.
Snapping Hip Syndrome Rehabilitation Exercises: You may do all of these exercises right away.
1. Quadriceps stretch: Stand an arm's length away from the wall, facing straight ahead. Brace yourself by keeping the hand on the uninjured side against the wall with your other hand, grasp the ankle of the injured leg pull your heel toward your buttocks. Don't arch or twist your back and keep your knees together. Hold this stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
2. Hamstring stretch: Lie on your back with your buttocks close to a doorway, and extend your legs straight out in front of you along the floor. Raise the injured leg and rest it against the wall next to the door frame. Your other leg should extend through the doorway. You should feel a stretch in the back of your thigh. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
3. Piriformis stretch: Lie on your back with both knees bent and the foot of the uninjured leg flat on the floor. Rest the ankle of your injured leg over the knee of your uninjured leg. Grasp the thigh of the uninjured leg and pull that knee toward your chest. You will feel a stretch along the buttocks and possibly along the outside of your thigh on the injured side. Hold this stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
4. Iliotibial band stretch (standing ): Cross your uninjured leg in front of your injured leg and bend down and touch your toes. You can move your hands across the floor toward the uninjured side and you will feel more stretch on the outside of your thigh on the injured side. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Return to the starting position. Repeat 3 times.
5. Iliotibial band stretch (side-leaning): Stand sideways near a wall, your injured leg toward the inside. Place the hand on your injured side on the wall for support. Cross your injured leg and stand stable. Lean into the wall. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat. Do 3 sets of 15.
6. Gluteal strengthening: To strengthen your buttock muscles lie on your stomach with your legs straight out behind you. Tighten your buttock muscles and lift your injured leg off the floor 8 inches, keeping your knee straight. Hold 5 seconds. Relax and return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times. Do 3 sets.
7. Hip abduction: Lie on your uninjured side with your legs straight. Lift your injured leg up toward the ceiling, keeping your knee straight. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Do 3 sets.
All material provided is designed for information purposes only and should not be used to replace the care of a health care professional. Do not rely on any of the information for diagnosis or treatment. It is recommended that you visit a qualified health care professional for individual and personal attention.
