Hip pain and problems aren't something anyone wants to deal with, but they do happen. Injuries and issues like arthritis or wear-and-tear cause damage within the joint that may lead to pain or clicking with activity or rest.
But what's causing that clicking sound when you walk or run? There may be many culprits for a hip that's clicking, including snapping hip syndrome. Even if it doesn't cause pain, it could damage the bursa and other structures in the affected hip.
Living with hip issues is challenging, which is why Dr. Steven J. Svabek and his team offer diagnostic tools and customized treatments. Dr. Svabek is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in conservative treatments and joint replacement surgery for orthopedic problems.
Hip clicking is an issue that happens for many reasons, including snapping hip syndrome. You can develop snapping hip syndrome for many reasons, including trauma or severe injury. Other causes of snapping hip syndrome include:
Most people notice hip clicking when they move the affected hip, causing a snapping sensation. It's usually not painful or a cause for concern but may lead to other issues as it progresses.
Snapping hip syndrome is one cause of hip clicking, especially when you walk or move your leg around. It leads to a clicking noise or snapping sensation in or around the hip joint.
The condition comes from the snapping sensation when a tendon or muscle moves over one of the bony protrusions in your hip. Although not always painful, snapping hip syndrome can cause issues with the bursa or other hip structures.
Annoyance is usually the biggest complaint among people with snapping hip syndrome. It's not inherently dangerous but may lead to bursitis and other issues down the road.
The treatment you need depends on the cause of the clicking in your hip. Dr. Svabek discusses his physical exam results and any imaging studies you had to determine the best course of action for treatment.
For mild to moderate cases of snapping hip syndrome, you may need to rest the hip and avoid activities that aggravate the condition. Activity modification is one of the best ways to prevent damage to the hip through repeated stress.
For other causes or painful snapping hip syndrome, Dr. Svabek often recommends physical therapy. At therapy, you work to increase flexibility, strengthen the muscles around the hip joint, and improve function.
If physical therapy doesn't work, Dr. Svabek can give you a steroid injection in the area. Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatory medications that decrease inflammation and allow the area to heal.
Unfortunately, snapping hip syndrome doesn't always go away on its own, but there are some tips to help make it less prevalent. Stretching is one of the main ways to stretch out the muscles and tendons to prevent them from tightening and rubbing against the bones.
Stretching is essential to your daily routine to keep the tissues around the joint supple and relaxed. Some of the stretching exercises you can do include:
Performing these stretches regularly helps avoid pain from snapping hip syndrome. You can also use ice or heat to calm the hip when it flares up. If nothing else works, Dr. Svabek provides expert care and treatment at his practice.
Call our Coral Springs, Florida, office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Svabek for hip pain. You can also send our team a message right here on the website.
