Why Does My Hip Pop When I Rotate It? Understanding the Causes and Solutions

That pop or snap you feel in your hip when you rotate it is a common phenomenon, often referred to as “snapping hip.” While it can be alarming, it’s frequently harmless. Understanding why this occurs can help alleviate concerns and guide you on what steps to take, if any, to address it. This article will explore the common causes of hip popping when rotating, who is most susceptible, and effective strategies to manage and prevent it.

There are primarily two types of snapping hip, categorized by where the snapping sensation originates. Knowing the type can help pinpoint the cause and appropriate management.

Types of Snapping Hip

• External Snapping Hip: This is the most prevalent type and occurs when the iliotibial (IT) band, a robust band of tissue running along the outer thigh from the hip to the shin, glides over the greater trochanter. The greater trochanter is the bony protrusion you can feel on the side of your hip. This movement of the IT band over the bone is what creates the popping or snapping sensation.

• Internal Snapping Hip: This type is caused by the iliopsoas muscle, a group of muscles located in the inner hip that flexes the hip joint, moving over bony structures within the pelvis or femur (thigh bone). As the tendon of the iliopsoas muscle snaps across these bony prominences during hip rotation, it creates a pop or click.

Glute Bridges

Who is Prone to Snapping Hip?

Certain individuals are more likely to experience hip popping, particularly those who engage in activities that involve repetitive hip movements and a wide range of motion. These groups include:

• Dancers: The demanding routines of dance often require extreme hip flexion, extension, and rotation, placing significant stress on the hip joint and surrounding tissues.
• Runners: Repetitive hip flexion and extension during running can tighten muscles and tendons around the hip, predisposing runners to snapping hip.
• Soccer Players: The dynamic movements in soccer, including kicking, running, and pivoting, involve frequent and forceful hip rotations, increasing the risk of snapping hip.
• Weightlifters: Exercises like squats and lunges can put considerable load and stress on the hip joint, particularly if proper form and stretching are neglected.

According to physical therapist Alice Popkin, “Anyone performing repetitive and extreme ranges of motion with their legs can be vulnerable.” She explains that repeated flexion and extension of the hips, combined with rotation, common in these activities, can lead to overworked and tightened muscles and tendons around the hip joint.

Managing and Controlling Snapping Hip

The good news is that snapping hip is often manageable, and in many cases, it can be improved through lifestyle adjustments and targeted exercises. The primary approach involves modifying activities that exacerbate the popping and incorporating strengthening and stretching exercises.

Popkin emphasizes the importance of core strength in managing snapping hip. “Starting at your core will take the pressure off your hip joints,” she advises. Strengthening the core, along with the gluteal muscles and hip abductors (outer hip muscles), which are often weaker in individuals with snapping hip syndrome, is crucial.

Here are some exercises recommended by Popkin to strengthen the muscles supporting the hip:

Strengthening Exercises

• Abdominal Bracing: This exercise focuses on engaging the transverse abdominus, a deep core muscle vital for trunk stability and proper movement alignment.

  1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Inhale, and as you exhale, draw in your lower abs, engage pelvic floor muscles, and flatten your back against the floor. Maintain steady breathing throughout.
  3. Perform 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions, holding each brace for 5-10 seconds.

Image: Animated illustration showing the correct form for performing abdominal bracing exercise.

• Glute Bridges: Glute bridges are excellent for strengthening the glutes and hamstrings, providing support and stability to the hips.

  1. Lie on your back with knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart and flat on the floor.
  2. Engage in abdominal bracing to maintain a neutral spine.
  3. Squeeze your glutes and imagine pulling your heels towards your buttocks.
  4. Initiate movement from your glutes, push through heels, and lift hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
  5. Pause at the top, squeezing glutes tightly, ensuring you are not using back muscles.
  6. Slowly lower hips back down and release glutes.
  7. Perform 2-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions.

• Sidestepping: Sidestepping with or without resistance bands strengthens the gluteus medius, a key hip abductor muscle.

  1. Assume a mini-squat position by pushing hips back and slightly bending knees.
  2. Step right leg out to the right, followed by left leg.
  3. Ensure knees do not cave inward and movement originates from the glutes.
  4. For added challenge, place a resistance band around your knees.
  5. Perform 2-3 sets of 5-10 steps in each direction.

Image: Visual demonstrating sidestepping exercise using a resistance band for enhanced glute activation.

• Side-lying Leg Lifts: This exercise isolates the gluteus medius and minimus, crucial for hip stability.

  1. Lie on your right side with legs straight and left leg stacked directly on top of the right, ensuring ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles are aligned.
  2. Keeping left leg straight, raise it until you feel pressure in your outer hip, avoiding tilting forward or backward. Maintain hip stacking.
  3. Lower left leg back to meet the right leg, focusing on feeling the exercise in the outer glute, not the front of the hip.
  4. Perform 2-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions on each side.

Stretching Exercises

In addition to strengthening, stretching tight hip muscles is essential. These stretches can be incorporated throughout the day, especially if your hips feel tight.

• Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch: This stretch targets the hip flexors, which are often tight in individuals with snapping hip.

  1. Start kneeling on the floor.
  2. Bring right leg forward so thigh is parallel to floor, with knee bent at 90 degrees and foot flat.
  3. Keep left knee on floor, ensuring shin points straight back.
  4. Place hands on hips, tilt pelvis to maintain neutral spine and squeeze glutes.
  5. Keeping back straight, shift weight forward until you feel a stretch in front of left thigh and groin, maintaining neutral spine.
  6. For a deeper stretch, raise left arm overhead and slightly towards the right.
  7. Hold for 20-30 seconds, repeat 3-5 times on each side.

Image: Illustration of the half-kneeling hip flexor stretch, highlighting proper posture and arm extension for a deeper stretch.

• Standing Iliotibial Band Stretch: This stretch targets the IT band, often implicated in external snapping hip.

  1. Stand straight and cross right leg in front of left at the ankle.
  2. Raise left arm overhead and reach towards your right side. For stability, lean left side against a wall or hold onto a chair with your right hand if needed.
  3. You should feel a stretch along your left hip.
  4. Hold for 20-30 seconds, repeat 3-5 times on each side.

• Figure 4 Stretch: This stretch targets the glutes and piriformis muscle, common areas of tightness contributing to hip issues.

  1. Sit on a chair with feet flat on the floor, or on the floor with legs extended.
  2. Lift right leg and place right ankle just above left knee. If on the floor, place hands behind you for support and keep chest lifted.
  3. Gently lean forward while keeping back flat until you feel a stretch in the right glute.
  4. Hold for 20-30 seconds.
  5. Sit back up, return right foot to floor, and repeat on the left side.
  6. Alternatively, gently push down on raised knee with your hand to deepen the stretch.
  7. Repeat 3-5 times on each side.

Image: Visual guide for the seated figure 4 stretch, demonstrating leg positioning and forward lean for effective glute stretching.

Popkin also recommends foam rolling as a self-massage technique to further release tight areas. Focus foam rolling on the sides of the hip, quadriceps (front of the thigh), glutes, IT band (outer thigh), and adductors (inner thigh).

When to Seek Professional Help

While these exercises and stretches can be beneficial, if you continue to experience snapping hip after consistent effort, or if the popping is accompanied by pain, it is advisable to consult a physical therapist. A physical therapist can conduct a thorough evaluation, provide a tailored treatment plan, and employ additional techniques such as manual therapy, exercise prescription, and activity modification to address your specific needs. They can help determine if there are underlying issues contributing to your hip popping and guide you towards effective and lasting relief.