Why Does My Hip Keep Popping When Walking? Auto Accident Injuries

Hip Popping

Have you noticed a snapping or popping sensation when walking or moving your hip? If so, you may have injured one of the ligaments or tendons that hold your hip in place.

Snapping hip syndrome happens when the connective tissue bands in your hip catch on your femur as they move. It occurs most often in athletic overuse injuries, but can also be triggered by damage from a car crash.

The popping could also be due to other types of connective tissue damage, like partial tears or overstretching, from a hip sprain or strain. Unless the damage is severe, you can treat sprains and snapping hip syndrome without surgery.

Moderate Pain and Swelling

Feeling some pain after a car accident is common, but if it doesn’t decrease after a few hours or you notice swelling, it’s time to see an experienced auto injury doctor.

Moderate pain and inflammation that linger in your hip can be a sign of bursitis or other soft tissue damage. Bursitis occurs when the fluid-filled cushion sacs in your hip, known as bursae, get irritated and inflamed. You’ll feel an aching sensation in your hip and thigh that gets worse when you walk around.

Sprains and strains can also cause moderate pain and swelling, so you’ll need to get a physical exam to identify the cause.

Severe Pain

If you are in severe pain and can’t move or put any weight on your leg after an accident, it’s a sign of a serious hip injury.

Hip fractures and dislocations are most common in people who have injured their hips before or have a condition like osteoarthritis. Even so, young and healthy people can still experience serious hip damage in a crash.

You can often treat a minor fracture or partial dislocation with physical therapy. But if there was a serious break or connective tissue damage, you may need surgery.

If the impact was severe enough, you may have a combined fracture-dislocation. A complete break can leave you with dislodged bone fragments from your pelvis and/or femur. This type of injury can’t heal on its own, so it requires surgical intervention and rehabilitation afterward.

If You Notice Hip Popping and Pain After an Accident, Don't Ignore It

Even if your post-collision hip popping and pain when walking seem minor at first, it can get worse over time if you wait for it to go away on its own. That’s why it’s so important to see a qualified accident injury doctor right away.

Call 1-800-897-8440 if you’re injured in a New York car crash, or fill out the form below request an appointment today. Our experienced auto accident physicians can help you heal and get back to living your life as soon as possible.