The Snapping Hip – Harmful or Harmless - Fighting Fit Physiotherapy Nerang Gold Coast

Internal Extra-Articular Snapping Hip Syndrome

As the name suggests, this syndrome is often felt in the front of the hip or inner groin region. The ‘extra-articular’ aspect of the name clarifies that whilst it is felt in the hip area, it does not originate from inside the ball and socket joint itself.

This occurs when the iliopsoas or psoas major tendon gets caught on the anterior hip structures and then snaps over them. This is very similar to the mechanism above, just different muscles and different bones.

When the hip goes from a bend to a straight position the muscle lengthens and gets stuck before quickly shifting over the bony prominence back to position. This movement causes the snapping sensation and noise.

This can become problematic when the bursa (fluid sack that helps lubricate soft tissue movements) becomes inflamed and reactive. This is known as bursitis.

Internal Intra-Articular Snapping Hip

This is the last type of snapping hip, however, is different in origin and can be significantly more symptomatic and problematic than the others. This occurs as a result of cartilage tears or free floating bodies in the intra-articular space (inside the ball and socket joint) AKA labral tears.

This can significantly impede the biomechanics of the joint and be a source of pain. This type of clicking and locking will come from deep in the joint and be very different to the two types above. This will be easily differentiated by a physiotherapist or specialist. These these of symptoms definitely warrant assessment from a physiotherapist as it can lead to long lasting hip concerns.

What Increases My Risk of Snapping Hip?

There are some populations that are more likely to encounter this strange condition when compared to others. Firstly, sportspersons. Sports that involve lots of repetitive lower limb movements across large ranges of motion (soccer, gymnastics, running, and dance) are more

prone to experience this syndrome. Whilst this is often harmless and does not cause pain or damage, there is scope for this repeated catching and flicking of the soft tissue to cause inflammation and irritation that can lead to a worsening symptoms or functional performance.

The second group that is more susceptible are young adults that have recently endured a growth spurt. When we are young and grow quickly it may not always be uniform or in proportion, thus different tissues may be growing and adapting at different speeds.

This slight mismatch can sometimes see these strange symptoms arise.

Finally, women are more likely to experience this syndrome than men. This is likely due to the different morphology (body shape) between the genders. Women typically have a wider pelvic, larger Q Angles (angle of the upper leg in relation to the pelvic), and other anatomical variations. This can result in tissues movements being different between females and males.

How do I know if I have Snapping Hip Syndrome?

If you are reading above and thinking “this is me”, you might be able to happily self-diagnose. This being said, the best way to know your body and better understand any signs or symptoms is to seek assessment and advice from a health professional.

Here at Fighting Fit Physio we deal with all populations from the average punter to the elite athletes. Come in and see one of our physios. Our wealth of knowledge and clinical experience will see you get the best information and advice about your body. We have all the tools to assess your specific range of motion, strength, and functional capacity to know whether you are currently optimizing your body.

This is even more important if you have pain. If pain is present you want to be certain that the tissues are being given the right load to adapt and heal. This will allow you to keep doing the activities you love without fear of injury.

Key Points

Snapping Hip Syndrome is often a harmless condition that results in a strange sensation around the hip when moving the leg. The best way to know if something needs addressing is by consulting one of the Fighting Fit Physio team members.

Pain can start to develop over time so listen to your body and seek the help it needs to ensure you are functioning at full capacity. Want to know more? Book a consultation with one of our physiotherapist below.

Brenda Samosa

05:52 07 Nov 24

I had a really bad shoulder and had been seeing a different physio for 3 months (from a different place) I got told Tyson was good. After just a few sessions the movement was coming back. I’m 66 and was worried I would have to stop surfing. But with a lot of help from Tyson I’m back in the waves ( thank you so so much)

Cyana Ferguson

08:16 30 Oct 24

Steve Harris

22:33 15 Oct 24

Great team, all friendly, super helpful and first class clinical advice and a big shout out to my Physio Noah with my shoulder issue

Andrea Bell

05:33 19 Sep 24

These guys are the best in the biz 🎉

Ryan Brockett

04:20 18 Sep 24

Shout out to Max from fighting fit physio. He helped me out massively straight after shoulder surgery and back into work and sports in no time. Couldn’t recommend anyone better!

Scotty

08:31 31 Jul 24

Five star service from Max & the team!
Professional & very thorough, you know that patient outcomes are of the highest priority.
I highly recommend this business.

Riley Wilson

08:27 14 Jul 24

Be AWARE they’ll immediately try to commit you to multiple follow up sessions after your initial consultation. This happened to me and then I later found out that as it just so happens, they have a cancellation policy that says you have to pay 100% of the consultation fee for cancelling. They failed to tell me this when they were pushy in committing me to 6 sessions after my consult, so that was a really nice little surprise.

I was already uncomfortable with how pushy they were in having me commit to so many sessions, so when I heard about the policy I just cancelled all together. So, I can’t speak further to the quality of their service throughout therapy phase. FYI this was also a few months ago now, it’s possible (though unlikely) they may have changed the policy. Just ask the question.

Megan Shelley

06:51 03 May 24

Fighting Fit Physiotherapy is hands down the best physio I've encountered. Having tried multiple physios for various injuries, I always find myself coming back to them. Their expertise consistently exceeds expectations, helping me get back to my sport faster than I thought possible. Their personalized approach and attention to detail make all the difference. I could not recommend a better or more exceptional physio team!

Gina Matthews

08:41 24 Mar 23

Can't recommend this place high enough. I was in so much pain with my knee an had been for months through advise an exercises I'm now looking forward to returning to gym an back riding my horses in endurance thank you so much

Courtney Halse

01:36 29 Nov 22

Kyle was knowledgeable, personable and professional. He saw me through my second pregnancy and continued to work with me until 6 months post partum on issues with my back. Would recommend anyone to go and see him.

Also shout out to Georgia on the front desk. She makes you feel welcome and brings a sense of warmth to the place!

Alli Davenport

08:07 04 Nov 22

After hip replacement surgery in February I wanted toget back into weight training legs, I started with Mitch 18 weeks ago and after a lot of hard work and sweat I am able to safely train again, I cannot thank Mitch enough for his support,encouragement and knowledge. The staff are friendly and helpful and I always looked forward to my session's

Robert Parkinson

10:50 15 Aug 22

This is the second time I have been treated by the team at FFP.
As a health professional myself I have been impressed with the level of care I have received from all members of the team.
The personalised treatment and rehabilitation programs have produced excellent results and I have completed both programs pain free and feeling stronger than before my injuries.
During the program there was constant communication and follow up and they were very accommodating with my work schedule.
All in all it was a very holistic experience and I would highly recommend the service.

Kiri Canavan

07:30 08 Jun 22

Tyson was amazing! We came up with an 8 week plan at my first consultation with weekly check ins and updates to exercises. 8 weeks later, I am pain free and able to train harder than ever. Highly recommend and the staff are all fantastic and super accomodating!

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