08/06/2025
Snapping Hip: A Common and Often Harmless Condition
If you’ve ever felt or heard a snapping sensation in your hip while walking, rising from a chair, or swinging your leg, you may have experienced what’s known as Snapping Hip Syndrome (SHS). While the noise or feeling can be surprising—and at times annoying—it’s usually a benign and common musculoskeletal phenomenon that affects many people, especially adolescents, dancers, athletes, and those who engage in repetitive leg movements.
What Is Snapping Hip Syndrome?
Snapping hip occurs when a muscle, tendon, or ligament moves over a bony prominence in the hip. It is typically classified into three types:
External snapping hip: The most common type, where the iliotibial (IT) band or gluteus maximus tendon snaps over the greater trochanter (the outer part of the hip bone).
Internal snapping hip: Caused by the iliopsoas tendon moving over bony structures like the femoral head or the iliopectineal eminence.
Intra-articular snapping hip: Far less common, this involves issues inside the hip joint itself, such as loose cartilage or labral tears.
In most cases, especially with external or internal SHS, the snapping does not cause pain. Some individuals simply feel or hear the snap, while others may have mild discomfort or a sense of instability.
Is It Dangerous?
Here’s the good news: snapping hip is rarely a sign of a serious problem. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), SHS is typically a benign condition that may not require treatment unless it is painful or functionally limiting (AAOS, 2023). Many people live with occasional snapping without any negative effects on mobility or long-term joint health.
If discomfort arises, it is usually due to irritation of the soft tissues from repetitive movement, and this can be managed with simple conservative treatments.
Conservative Treatments
Most cases of snapping hip improve with basic self-care. These may include:
Stretching and strengthening exercises, especially for the hip flexors, glutes, and core.
Activity modification to reduce repetitive stress.
Acoustic Wave Therapy to reduce inflammation and promote healthy collagen production
Chiropractic, when symptoms persist or interfere with activity.
In very rare cases where pain is severe and unresponsive to conservative care, further imaging or intervention may be considered. However, this is the exception, not the rule.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
You should consider seeking professional evaluation if:
The snapping is accompanied by significant pain.
You notice swelling, weakness, or loss of motion.
Symptoms worsen over time or interfere with daily life.
A chiropractor, physical therapist, or orthopedic specialist can help determine if the cause is truly benign or if further assessment is needed.
Final Thoughts
While the sensation of a snapping hip can be strange or even irritating, it’s usually nothing to worry about. For the vast majority of people, it’s a harmless quirk of anatomy that improves with time, movement awareness, and some basic stretching.
So the next time your hip makes a little noise, take a breath—it’s more likely a reminder of how dynamic your body is, not a sign of something wrong.
Bryce Christianson, DC
