This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Investigation

Authoring team

  • only investigation worth doing for external type snapping is dynamic ultrasound, where the ITB can be visualized snapping over the greater trochanter

  • for internal type snapping, dynamic and static ultrasound demonstrate the abnormal movement of the iliopsoas tendon, a thick iliopsoas muscle, an enlarged bursa as well as peritendinous fluid collections

  • bursography and tendonography have also been described for detecting internal snapping

  • CT
    • only role for CT is to compare the iliopectineal eminences on each side

  • plain radiographs and MRI
    • useful in the diagnosis of intra-articular type snapping by demonstrating any loose bodies, synovial chondromatosis, acetabular labral tears or osteochondral fractures

 

Reference:

  • Allen WC, Cope R. Coxa saltans: the snapping hip revisited. J Am Acad Orthop Surg 1995; 3: 303-8.
  • Provencher MT, Hofmeister EP, Muldoon MP. The surgical treatment of external coxa saltans (the snapping hip) by Z-plasty of the iliotibial band. Am J Sports Med 2004; 32: 470-6.

Create an account to add page annotations

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2025 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.