Scientists believe that any pathological changes in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system are people’s retribution for walking upright. Throughout life, our body experiences enormous stress, as a result of which ligaments, tendons and cartilage suffer. When joints are healthy, they operate smoothly and quietly.. But sometimes during movement there is a crunching sound in the bone joints, especially large ones. In most cases, it is accompanied by discomfort and pain. Why does the hip joint crunch, what to do about it - such questions are of great concern to those suffering.
Prerequisites for functional changes
The hip joint is the junction of the largest bones: the femur and the pelvis. It consists of the head, the acetabulum, along the edge of which the acetabular lip is located, and the articular space. The cavity of the joint is filled with synovial fluid and lined with cartilage tissue, which provides it with high-quality gliding. The acetabular lip covers the head and securely fixes it, preventing it from falling out of the acetabulum. If the integrity of any of these components is violated, the hip joints crack. In medicine, this problem is called snapping hip syndrome.
The reasons for this condition are different. Sometimes the presence of such symptoms occurs without any prerequisites and is not a sign of illness. Factors causing degenerative changes in the structure of cartilage:
- excessive physical activity;
- salt deposition as a consequence of disturbed water-salt and mineral balance;
- mechanical trauma that causes a violation of the integrity of the bone and cartilaginous structures of the joint;
- increased flexibility of bone joints;
- immaturity of the muscular and ligamentous apparatus around the joint.
Other causes of crunching in the hip joint are associated with degenerative changes resulting from the following factors:
- development of arthritis or arthrosis;
- gout or progressive osteochondrosis;
- inflammatory processes in cartilage, tendons and other elements of the ligamentous apparatus;
- increased degree of wear of articular surfaces;
- overweight;
- mismatch of bone joint surfaces.
Sometimes crunching and clicking sounds are associated with metabolic and endocrine disorders, poor nutrition and non-compliance with the daily routine.
Such functional changes cannot be attributed only to the age factor, because sometimes a crunch in the hip joint occurs in a child. Prerequisites: congenital pathologies, underdevelopment of muscle tissue around ligaments and cartilage, trauma.
Why is a crunch in a joint dangerous?
At first, extraneous sounds in the hip joint when walking do not cause any inconvenience, but over time the problem worsens. A crunch means that the structure of the joint is disturbed, something is preventing it from functioning normally. Due to excessive friction of the bone tissue, the organ is destroyed. It can only be restored through a complex operation.
Some people consider it normal if, over the age of 30-35, their knees and hip joints crack. They attribute this to salt deposits and do not see anything serious about the problem. The reality is that because of such a symptom, you can remain deeply disabled without the ability to move independently. This is the main danger of crunching.
This symptom should not be neglected. You cannot be treated by charlatans. In recent years, recovery sessions with chiropractors and osteopaths have gained popularity.
Symptoms of pathology
During its operation, the bone joint undergoes heavy loads, which entails negative consequences that have a destructive effect on its tissue. The very first sign of functional disorders is a crunch in the hip joint without pain.
A characteristic sound signals wear of bone joints or the beginning of the development of destructive changes in tissues. Depending on the extent of the spread of this process, a clicking hip is accompanied by pain of varying degrees of intensity, discomfort, and limited mobility.
In the problem area, a feeling of springy resistance may appear, reinforced by the subsequent failure of the head. Such clicks are characterized by the onset of development of arthrosis of the hip joint or polyarthritis. The patient experiences swelling and swelling of the tissues surrounding the joint, and the body temperature rises.
Classification of pathological disorders
Clicking and crunching sounds in the thigh are classified depending on the location of the problem:
- outer . The sound characteristic of pathology occurs in the outer part of the femoral diarthrosis due to the jumping off of the connective fascia when moving from the greater trochanter of the femur. Having undergone systematic blows, the joint capsule becomes inflamed, and the patient develops bursitis;
- intra-articular . This species is characterized by disturbances inside the diarthrosis cavity. As a result of deterioration in the sliding of the head along the acetabulum, it jumps off, making a sound similar to a click. An example of an intra-articular pathology is congenital dysplasia;
- internal . The mechanism of the crunch is caused by the rolling of the iliopsoas muscle through the head of the femoral bone. If left untreated, the risk of bursitis complications increases significantly.
Impingement syndrome of the hip joint
Another prerequisite for the appearance of a crunch in the hip joint is impingement syndrome. This disease develops against the background of congenital or acquired pathologies. The shape, size and location of the joint parts are different from the standard. Due to developmental anomalies, excessive friction of the joint head against the acetabulum occurs, which is why a crunching sound is heard.
Chronic trauma to the hip joint eventually leads to its complete destruction. This problem is mostly treated surgically. If, with timely detection of the disease, it is possible to get by with a simple minimally invasive operation using arthroscopy, then over time it is not possible to perform restorative intervention.
The only option left is organ replacement surgery. Joint replacement is a complex process that requires considerable preliminary preparation and long recovery. It can be avoided if conservative treatment is started in a timely manner.
First, the doctor determines the type of pathology, then makes a decision regarding the method of influence on the body.
The dynamics are monitored throughout the entire treatment period, positive measurements are noted. Over time, the patient returns to a full life. All this becomes possible when undergoing treatment from experienced doctors.
Types of pathologies
A characteristic sign does not always indicate a problem. Clicking sounds can occur due to the accumulation of air bubbles in the synovial fluid, during excessive exercise or due to stress. However, if they worsen the quality of life, continue for a long time and are accompanied by other signs, then the person needs the help of a specialist.
To understand why the hip joint crunches, it is necessary to carefully examine the symptoms of the pathology and determine its type. Even if this is the only visible sign of pathology, examination may reveal accompanying symptoms, allowing a correct diagnosis to be made and treatment to begin.
Iliopsoas syndrome
The iliopsoas muscle is the most common cause of clicking joints. This is explained by the tendon jumping over the acetabular labrum and femoral head during excessive and intense physical activity. At first, sounds characteristic of the problem occur rarely, but as the disorder progresses, their frequency increases and becomes almost constant. Gradually, other signs join the characteristic crunch:
- dull pain in the groin when flexing and straightening the limbs;
- feeling of resistance in the joint;
- joint weakness.
A special test is performed for diagnosis. This muscle is loaded with various sets of exercises. If characteristic sounds occur during their execution, the patient’s diagnosis is confirmed.
Systematic friction of the ligaments can cause iliopectineal bursitis, which significantly complicates the patient’s condition.
Iliotibial band syndrome
If the hip joint crunches, a possible cause is increased friction in the iliotibial fascia. This type of pathology is most common in athletes whose occupation is associated with intense mobility of the limbs. Characteristic sounds are accompanied by pain on the outside of the joint. Possible complications include trochanteritis, an inflammatory process that develops in the trochanteric bursa. It is characterized by increased pain in the periarticular area, redness of the tissues and their swelling.
Acetabular labral tear
The cartilaginous lip is involved in stabilizing the hip joint. Violation of its integrity occurs due to injury or degenerative changes in the structure of tissues. The rupture is characterized by:
- pain in the groin area or above;
- characteristic sounds when moving;
- impaired mobility;
- feeling of resistance in the joint.
For diagnosis, the patient is subjected to a special test with physical stress on the joints of the bones. Pathology is indicated by the appearance of a painful crunch.
Osteoarthritis
Degenerative changes in the structure of cartilage and ligaments often cause a person to have cracking hip joints. One of the pathologies is osteoarthritis of the hip joint. It is more often diagnosed in the male half of the population, since they are more susceptible to heavy physical activity and sports. The following signs indicate the disease:
- restriction of mobility in the problem area;
- sensation of joint friction;
- “starting” pain syndrome (when the first steps after a long period of rest are difficult);
- visible deformation of the bone connection (in advanced forms).
Pain occurs not only while walking, but when supporting the damaged tendon. If the disease has become advanced, the feeling of discomfort persists even at rest. If left untreated, the patient faces disability.
Osteochondropathy
If a crunch occurs in the hip joint in a child, then it can be assumed that he has Perthes disease or osteochondropathy. Usually occurs in children under 12 years of age. The essence of the pathology is necrotic processes of the femoral head, accompanied by the following symptoms:
- pain syndrome;
- fatigue when walking;
- limited limb mobility;
- limping gait;
- shortening of one leg.
Without treatment, the disease progresses rapidly and leads to deforming osteoarthritis.
Mechanical damage
Joint injuries occupy a wide niche in the development of pathological disorders in humans. A characteristic crunch can accompany sprains and ruptures of ligaments and tendons, dislocations, fractures, and bruises. The patient experiences pain of varying degrees of intensity depending on the type of injury received, swelling and swelling of soft tissues, bruising, and limited mobility.
Hip dysplasia
This type of joint pathology is more typical for newborns and is diagnosed by an orthopedist in the patient’s infancy. If left untreated at a later age, the crunching and clicking sounds are accompanied by lameness, “duck gait,” a feeling of heaviness, fatigue in the hip, and instability of the joint. In the future, dysplasia can develop into coxarthrosis.
For any functional disorders accompanied by a crunch of the hip joint, differential diagnosis is necessary.
Crunching and pain in the hip also occur with other diseases: intervertebral hernia, cartilage tear, fracture of the pelvic bones or femoral neck, osteoperiostitis of the pubic bone and others.
Diagnosis of pathology
It is naive to believe that cracking joints are harmless manifestations of functional changes in bone structures. Such symptoms can mask serious pathologies that require timely assistance from a specialist.
Despite the possibility of making a preliminary diagnosis using special tests and samples, final conclusions about the patient’s condition can only be obtained by conducting additional types of examination. These include:
- ultrasonography;
- radiography;
- MRI.
The doctor decides which one to choose, based on the results of the preliminary examination and the technical capabilities of the medical institution. When the results of additional tests are ready, a consultation with an orthopedic traumatologist will be required.
Treatment methods
When your hip joints are cracking, you should never let the problem take its course. No, it won’t go away on its own, but complications will definitely appear. The choice of treatment method depends on the nature of the pathology. Therapeutic manipulations with crunchy joints are carried out in two directions: conservative and surgical.
Conservative therapy
From the beginning of treatment, conservative medicine is used. If you are in no hurry to see a specialist because you are afraid of a scalpel, then you don’t have to worry: no one will operate on you right away.
First of all, the patient will be asked to review the load regime on the limb and, if possible, unload it as much as possible. If the pathology is inflammatory in nature, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed. They allow you to level out tissue damage and eliminate pain. These include Nimesulide, Celebrex, Ketanov, Ibuprofen, Piroxicam and others. They are fast-acting, have a symptomatic effect, but can cause adverse reactions. You cannot use such products for a long time, as their effectiveness decreases.
To alleviate the patient's condition, he is prescribed glucocorticosteroid hormonal drugs. The most popular are Hydrocortisone, Diprospan, Kenalog. If the disease is complicated by severe pain, then injections of glucocorticosteroids are administered into the area of the joint capsule. These are hormonal drugs that ensure normal blood flow in tissues, reduce muscle spasms, and eliminate pain.
To reduce pain and muscle spasms, the doctor may recommend taking muscle relaxants (Mydocalm, Sirdalud). Warming ointments are prescribed for the same purpose. They do not have a pronounced therapeutic effect, but relieve pain well. The most common are Espol, Menovazin, Nicoflex-cream, Gevkamen, Finalgon .
For arthrosis, chondroprotectors are used to restore cartilage tissue and synthesize synovial fluid inside the joint. Their action is aimed at preventing destructive changes. The disadvantage is the need for long-term use, since the drug has a cumulative effect. When treating crunching and clicking, Teraflex, Glucosamine and Chondroitin are used. If synovial fluid is formed in insufficient quantities, injections with hyaluronic acid are injected into the diseased joint to replace it. Examples of such agents are Ostenil, Farmatron, Durolan and others.
At the first manifestations of a pathological disorder of the bone articulation, accompanied by characteristic clicks, you should consult a doctor. The sooner the correct diagnosis is made, the greater the chances of a favorable outcome of therapy. However, the disease is treated not only with medication.
Physiotherapy
Exercise therapy has a good therapeutic effect for any problems with cartilage and ligaments. The set of exercises is aimed at strengthening muscle tissue in the periarticular area, ligaments and mobile joints, restoring motor functions and improving the support functions of the limb.
You need to practice regularly and always in the presence of an instructor who monitors and corrects the correct execution of the complex. When doing exercise therapy, no additional loads should be placed on the affected joint that could aggravate the patient’s condition.
For people suffering from snapping hip syndrome, doctors advise monitoring their physical activity, minimizing any sports training during treatment, or completely abandoning it for a while. If you cannot fully comply with these conditions, then it is better to replace them with swimming.
Physiotherapy
The use of a physiotherapeutic set of procedures allows you to reduce the intensity of discomfort and completely get rid of crunching, clicking and pain. Some types are used even after surgical treatment to reduce soft tissue swelling. Regeneration will be much more efficient.
Depending on the root cause of the pathology and the diagnosis, physiotherapeutic methods for treating clicking in the joints include:
- electrical stimulation;
- cryotherapy;
- acupuncture;
- electrophoresis;
- magnetic therapy;
- laser correction;
- shock wave therapy.
The great advantage of this type of treatment is that they allow you to act on the affected area without affecting nearby tissues and structures. Using these techniques, you can significantly reduce the dosage of medications taken without compromising the effectiveness of therapy. Massage as part of a complex treatment for cracking in the hip joint without pain also gives a good result.
Proper nutrition
When dealing with clicking and crunching in the bones, nutrition is important. The patient's diet should be complete, balanced, and help reduce body weight. The diet should include fatty fish, mainly sea fish, dairy products, poultry, legumes, nuts, other protein-rich foods, fruits and fresh vegetables. If you have problems with cartilage and bone joints, it is useful to eat gelatin (aspic, jellied meat, jelly). Sweets such as marshmallows and marshmallows are allowed, but you should not overuse them.
During treatment, you should avoid nightshade vegetables, red meat, preservatives and smoked foods. Alcohol in any form or quantity is strictly prohibited. When composing your diet, you need to reduce your salt intake.
Surgery
If the use of medications does not achieve the desired result, this may be a reason for surgical treatment. With internal and external localization of the problem, we can limit ourselves to partial intersection of the tendon of the iliopsoas muscle at the place of its attachment to the joint. If the localization of the pathology is intra-articular, then a complete replacement of the bone joint will be required.
With timely medical care for hip crunch, you can get rid of the problem only with conservative treatment without surgery.
Crunching in the hip joint cannot be considered a disease. This is one of the signs of any of the known pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. If it appears, it means that there is a malfunction in the body and it needs medical attention. You should not hope for a miracle and quick healing, because the problem can be dealt with with conservative treatment. If you let the situation take its course, the operation cannot be avoided.
Prevention
The hereditary factor in joint problems does not guarantee the success of preventive measures. However, you can delay the disease or prevent it from progressing with simple steps:
- Daily gymnastics.
- Active sports 2-3 times a week.
- Breaks during prolonged standing or sedentary work.
- A balanced diet with sufficient amounts of calcium, collagen and fatty acids.
- Taking dietary supplements with chondroitins.
- Exclusion from the diet of too fatty, salty, spicy foods and fast food.
- Wearing comfortable shoes with orthopedic soles and medium heels.
It is recommended to protect joints from hypothermia and overheating. When lifting weights, it is necessary to evenly redistribute the load on your arms and biceps. In your free time, sleep, walk in the fresh air and recharge with positive emotions.