Hip cracking/pain
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Discussion

chonok

Original Poster:

1,178 posts

264 months

Thursday 2nd June 2016
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For a few years now i've experienced a 'cracking' in my right hip when i move it in certain positions.

Not really thought too much of it but a few months ago i started to get some pain in it.

It was at my physio a month or so back getting treated for my IT band and i asked her opinion.

She described it as more of a 'clunking' sound (she could hear it from the other side of the room!) and referred me to hospital for an xray.

Said it could be either 'snapping hip syndrome' or 'hip impingement'

I have tried some of the stretches that she gave me for the snapping hip and they haven't really made a difference. To be honest, personally i don't think it's this anyway.

Xray came back all clear.

Part of me thinks that it could probably easily be missed on an Xray?

Not sure what to do now. Going back to the physio will probably be a waste of time.

I am a very active 36 year old male (do quite a bit of running, football etc)

To be honest, its not really that bad at the moment and doesn't hurt enough to affect me day to day (soem days i hardly notice it)

It worries me more that it could be a long term problem that could affect me later in life (my dad suffers with arthiris in his hips and can hardly walk). The thought of not being active because of it is not a nice thought and i know with these sorts of things they are better sorted earlier rather than later.

FredClogs

14,041 posts

190 months

Thursday 2nd June 2016
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Push for an MRI scan, I had 3 years of going around in circles similar to you, was diagnosed with early stage Osteoporosis and ancetabular impingment after an x-ray, being 39 and active I was concerned at the thought of having arthritis and seeked treatment then was told I had torn/tight/lose gluteus medius, over exercised and told it's just your age and a whole host of other bull st, I had quite a lot of physio.

Eventually I got to see the guy and the scan showed a labral tear but have been told that the operation to stitch it is probably not worth the effort and recovery time, which I have tended to agree with for now, as I understand it the recovery can be long. I'm still managing to run 20km a week and do the other stuff I need to but there is some evidence it can lead to issues with arthritis later in life.



chonok

Original Poster:

1,178 posts

264 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
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Thanks mate

Clio200pat

156 posts

217 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
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I'd echo the above, you need a scan.

I started getting problems in my left hip when I was 33 back in 2012, it used to click, snap and generally hurt.

I was a really active runner and cyclist. I had loads of phsyio which didn't really help, eventually I had an MRI which led to an op in 2014 to fix an acetabular impingement and a labral tear. 2 and a bit years on and after loads of phsyio, I've got a lot more mobility in the hip but still quite a lot of pain running in my lower back and going down my leg. Speaking to my consultant they said you can still expect improvement/recovery up to 5 years post op, so yes recovery is a long process.

One thing I would say is to keep being as active as you can and work on building up your core strength. As my pain was ongoing post-surgery and not getting better, I was told to stop riding my bike whilst I received a course of treatment. This has turned out to be the worst bit of advice I could have been given. In turn it has actually made the pain worse, and trying to get back into it again at the same level I was at is almost impossible.

Autopilot

1,339 posts

213 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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I had bit of a nightmare when I had similar symptoms. It started with just a clicking noise in my left hip, no pain or anything, just the occasional click. Sometimes it was quite loud, almost like somebody snapping a piece of plastic. After a while, I did start to get some pain accompany the noise. It hurt the most when if I pointed my feet dead straight and then lift my left leg up. If my foot was pointing out slightly, it didn't click.

I had quite a bit of physio, none of which helped in the slightest. I gave up with this and saw an Osteopath. Their approach was much more appropriate. 'I can't see inside your hip, so lets get you X-rayed'. He X-Rayed me there and then and also took a series of x-rays while he injected dye in to the hip socket. He referred me to a local consultant to have cortisone injections in to the hip socket (under ultrasound). This gave literally instant relief but only lasted about 8 weeks and the pain returned.

I then had an MRI Scan. The (new) consultant treating me said it was arthritic and probably best to leave it alone until it's really bad. A few weeks later, the Osteo called to see how I was getting on so updated him. He said this wasn't good enough so referred me to a specialist in Cambridge.

He performed hip arthroscopy and resurfaced a small part of the socket that was 'worn out'. He confirmed by looking at the MRI scans previously taken and the fact he had physically looked inside my hip that there were no signs of Arthritis.

While I get aches and pains and it is getting more frequent again, I've had 13 years of being relatively pain free and the range of movement is good. I compete in Thai boxing (and K1) and MMA so do put my body through a lot of abuse. My biggest issue is that when the pain in my hip starts to flare up, my back aches and I seize up!

My advice would be to get a scan and get the RIGHT consultant! The Osteo I used was brilliant. He wasn't happy with the (private) treatment I'd had, so found somebody else to carry it on with.

chonok

Original Poster:

1,178 posts

264 months

Tuesday 7th June 2016
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Thanks everyone. Think i might speak to my physio again.