What's Going On When Your Hips Are Making Noise?
Have you ever been walking down the road or around your house and felt your hips clicking? Maybe you've also heard your hips popping or cracking a little bit. If so, this may be the sign of an underlying problem.
The muscles usually responsible for flexing your hips when you walk are known as the hip flexors, one of which is the psoas. This muscle starts at your lower spine and passes down through your pelvis, attaching to your thigh bone (the femur), which enables it to perform hip flexion.
This muscle can often get tight, especially if you sit in an office chair all day and don't do much exercise. When this muscle is tight, it can cause a sore lower back, aching buttocks, and clicking hips.
Your pelvic region is very bony, and when your hip flexors are tight, your tendons can rub over the bony protrusions in your pelvis. It's this interaction between tendons and bones that can cause the audible clicking or grinding noises that appear to come from your hips. Over time, the tendon can become irritated and inflamed, which worsens the problem.
Certain injuries or overuse of the tendon can also result in inflammation and excessive hip clicking, informally known as "dancer's hip" because many dancers experience these problems due to overuse of the joints. Athletes and runners regularly experience hip pain and constant clicking for the same reason. You may not always hear an audible click; you might simply feel popping or grinding. This is still worth addressing.
What Helps
A lot of the time, the main treatment for dancer's hip or clicking hips is rest and recovery. While resting, it's a good idea to stretch out the hip flexor muscles to reduce tightness and tension. You may need to avoid high-intensity activities such as sports, running, and dancing; instead, stick to low-impact exercises like gentle walking, swimming, or yoga. This reduces tightness and irritation, letting inflammation go down and your hip joints rest.
If you're experiencing hip pain or clicking, give our office a call. We can take the time to determine the cause of your symptoms and start a treatment plan that gets you back on track.
This blog post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and personalized treatment recommendations.
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