What Causes Snapping Hip Syndrome?

You stand up from your desk, and your hip lets out a sharp pop that makes you glance around the room. When the sound repeats on stairs or during workouts, it is natural to wonder whether it is harmless or needs to be evaluated. 

To make sense of the noise, it helps to start with what physically happens in your hip when it snaps. In this guide, ChiroCare of Florida will explain the potential causes of snapping hip syndrome. Our Coral Springs office provides chiropractic treatment for hip pain and other joint problems.

How Snapping Hip Syndrome Happens

Snapping hip syndrome, also called coxa saltans, often happens when a muscle or tendon moves across a bony part of the hip instead of gliding smoothly over it. The catch-and-release creates the pop you feel or hear.

The location of the pop offers the first clue about what causes snapping hip syndrome. Internal snapping often occurs near the groin, where a hip flexor tendon catches on a bony structure at the front. The pop commonly occurs when you straighten a bent leg. 

External snapping, on the other hand, may occur when the iliotibial band slides over a bony point at the top of your thighbone. The thick strip of tissue runs from your pelvis to your knee. A third type of snapping can feel deeper because it originates inside your joint rather than from a tendon moving over your bone.

Why Hip Tissues Become Tight or Irritated

Snapping can affect one hip or both. In many cases, the causes of snapping hip syndrome trace back to tight or irritated muscles and tendons. Tissue in that state moves less freely and may be more likely to catch on bone. 

Some people have naturally tight or short muscles and tendons, which can produce the same catching. Tight hip flexor muscles or iliotibial band friction during movement can contribute to this condition. Irritation may also begin with repetitive hip movements that place extra stress on your muscles and tendons over time. 

Hip tendon inflammation can further tighten the tissue, making those movements more likely to trigger a snap. Activities such as running or dancing can place recurring stress on the hip. Routines that repeatedly rotate the leg can do the same. 

Ballerinas are affected so often that the condition is nicknamed dancer’s hip. Athletes who use the same muscles repeatedly, such as gymnasts and soccer players, may also face a higher risk.

When Snapping Comes From Inside the Hip Joint

Snapping can come from problems inside the joint rather than from tight muscles. The hip joint contains cartilage that cushions the ball and socket. A ring of cartilage called the labrum lines the socket’s rim, and hip impingement can damage it.

A labral tear can produce clicking or snapping that feels deeper than tendon-related snapping. After a fracture or dislocation, loose bone fragments can become trapped in the joint. Hip joint abnormalities, such as an unusual shape of the pelvis or thighbone or a bone spur, can also create an uneven surface that catches muscles or tendons during movement.

A painless snap that does not limit movement is often harmless, though a professional evaluation is highly recommended if you feel any discomfort in or around the hip joint. Stiffness or increasing difficulty moving the joint also deserves medical attention. Joint-related snapping is more likely to come with those symptoms than with tendon-related popping. 

A thorough examination can help indicate whether the symptoms may involve an overused tendon, damaged cartilage, or another common cause of hip pain.

Find More Answers at ChiroCare of Florida

At ChiroCare of Florida, we encourage you to write down when your hip first started snapping and which movements tend to trigger the pop. Those types of details can help your provider determine whether the snap you feel comes from a tendon or sits deeper inside the hip joint itself. 

Our chiropractors typically assess your hip’s flexibility and range of motion to check for tightness or other joint symptoms. During the examination, the chiropractor may ask you to perform movements that reproduce the snap. The chiropractor can also explain the basic relationship between hip mobility and lower back pain to help you make more informed decisions about your treatment.

If you live in or near Coral Springs, FL, call us at (754) 225-9543 to schedule a visit with ChiroCare of Florida. Learn what may be causing your hip to snap and what you can do about it.