Hip Pain from Sports Injuries

Athletes are at special risk for snapping hip syndrome due to repetitive and physically demanding movements.

In athletes such as ballet dancers, gymnasts, horse riders, track and field athletes and soccer players, repeated hip flexion leads to injury.

In excessive weightlifting or running, the cause is usually attributed to extreme thickening of the tendons in the hip region.

Snapping hip syndrome most often occurs in persons who are 15 to 40 years old.

This condition is usually curable with appropriate treatment, or sometimes it heals spontaneously. If it is painless, there is little cause for concern.

Physical Therapy

Both active and passive stretching exercises that include hip and knee extension should be the focus of the program. Stretching the hip into extension and limiting excessive knee flexion avoids placing the rectus femoris in a position of passive insufficiency, thereby maximizing the stretch to the iliopsoas tendon.

Strengthening exercises for the hip flexors may also be an appropriate component of the program. Education, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug regimen, as well as activity modification or activity progression (or both) may be used.

Once symptoms have decreased a maintenance program of stretching and strengthening can be initiated. Light aerobic activity (warmup) followed by stretching and strengthening of the proper hamstring, hip flexors, and iliotibial band length is important for reducing recurrences.

Alternatives to Hip Replacement

Hip resurfacing is an alternative to hip replacement surgery. It is a bone conserving procedure that places a metal cap on the femoral head instead of amputating it.

There is no long stem placed down the femur so it is more like a natural hip and allows patients a full return to all activities, including marathons and triathlons, some patients have even completed Ironman and Ultraman competitions following hip resurfacing surgery although patients must have good bone quality to qualify for it.

It has been used in Europe for over 17 years and the first device, the BHR or Birmingham Hip Resurfacing device was approved by the FDA on May 9, 2006.