Have you ever stood up, walked across the room or performed an exercise and felt your hip pop?
Maybe it clicks every time you lift your leg. Or perhaps you notice a snapping sensation during squats, running or getting in and out of your car.
Hip noises are common—and a noisy hip doesn't automatically mean something is wrong.
The more important questions are whether the clicking is painful, whether it affects your movement and whether you have other symptoms.
Why Do Hips Pop and Click?
There are several possible reasons.
A hip may click or pop because of:
- Tendons moving over nearby structures
- Changes in pressure within a joint
- Muscle or tendon movement
- Certain hip positions
- Previous injuries
- Changes within the hip joint
Sometimes the cause is relatively straightforward.
Other times, particularly when clicking is accompanied by pain, a more thorough evaluation may be useful.
What Is Snapping Hip Syndrome?
One potential cause of repetitive hip clicking is commonly called snapping hip syndrome.
This generally describes a snapping sensation involving a tendon or other soft tissue moving around the hip.
You may feel it toward the front, outside or sometimes deeper within the hip.
It's particularly common during activities involving repeated hip movement, such as:
- Running
- Dancing
- Cycling
- Squatting
- Sports
- Repeatedly lifting the leg
But simply experiencing a snap doesn't necessarily mean you have an injury.
Is a Tight Hip Flexor Causing the Clicking?
Possibly—but not every clicking hip is caused by a “tight psoas.”
The hip flexors cross the front of the hip and can be involved in certain types of snapping.
However, blaming every hip problem on a tight hip flexor oversimplifies the issue.
Your symptoms, the location of the clicking and the movements that reproduce it can help determine what's actually happening.
Does a Clicking Hip Mean You Have Arthritis?
No.
Joint noises alone don't tell us whether someone has arthritis.
Likewise, arthritis seen on an X-ray doesn't necessarily explain every hip symptom.
Many joints make noise without being painful or damaged.
If your hip clicks occasionally but doesn't hurt, doesn't restrict your movement and isn't getting progressively worse, it may not require treatment at all.
When Is Hip Clicking More Concerning?
Pay more attention when clicking or popping occurs along with:
- Persistent hip or groin pain
- Catching or locking
- Significant loss of motion
- Difficulty bearing weight
- Weakness
- Symptoms following an injury
- Pain that progressively worsens
- Difficulty performing normal activities
Deep groin pain accompanied by catching or locking can sometimes indicate a problem within the hip joint itself and deserves appropriate evaluation.
Should You Stretch a Clicking Hip?
Not automatically.
If your hip feels stiff and a particular stretch feels good, mobility work may be useful.
But you don't necessarily need to stretch a hip simply because it makes noise.
Sometimes the better approach is improving your hip's ability to tolerate activity through progressive strengthening.
Rehabilitation and movement may include exercises for the hips, legs and trunk depending on what's causing your symptoms.
Strength Can Be More Important Than Flexibility
If your hip repeatedly becomes uncomfortable during running, lifting or sports, endlessly stretching it may not address the problem.
You may need to build more capacity.
Depending on the individual, exercises might include:
- Squats
- Lunges
- Step-ups
- Hip-hinge exercises
- Single-leg exercises
- Hip strengthening
The goal isn't to make your hips perfectly symmetrical or eliminate every noise.
It's to help you move comfortably and tolerate the activities you want to do.
Can Chiropractic Care Help With Hip Pain?
Depending on the cause, chiropractic care may be one part of conservative treatment for musculoskeletal hip pain.
That might include manual treatment to the hip, pelvis or lower back combined with exercise and activity modification.
But not every hip problem should be treated with an adjustment.
A good examination should first determine whether the symptoms appear to come from the hip, surrounding muscles and tendons, the lower back, or another structure.
Could Hip Pain Actually Come From Your Back?
Yes.
Pain around the hip or buttock doesn't always originate in the hip joint.
Problems involving the lumbar spine can sometimes produce symptoms around the hip, buttock or leg.
That's one reason evaluating both the hip and lower back can be important—particularly if you're also experiencing [back pain], numbness, tingling or symptoms traveling down your leg.
Hip Pain Care in Maple Grove, MN
If your hip simply pops occasionally without pain, you probably don't need to panic.
But if clicking, catching or hip pain is interfering with walking, exercise, running, golf or everyday activities, figuring out what's causing it is the first step.
At Northwood Chiropractic & Wellness, we'll evaluate how your hip and surrounding areas move and determine whether conservative treatment is appropriate.
Depending on the problem, care may include chiropractic care, rehabilitation and movement and massage therapy.
The goal isn't to make every joint completely silent.
It's to help you move comfortably and stay active.
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Your first visit includes a consultation, comprehensive exam, X-rays if needed, and your first chiropractic adjustment when clinically appropriate.
Dr. Greg Beenken
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