If you’re a dancer suffering from snapping hip syndrome, then you’ve certainly come to the right place! In fact, I can pretty much guarantee that you’re not alone in your search to find the best snapping hip syndrome stretches that can get rid of that annoying (and sometimes painful) sensation in your hip once and for all!
Snapping hip syndrome is a lot more common in dancers than you may have thought (hence why it’s also known as ‘dancer’s hip’), and it tends to be caused by the repetitive hip flexion that ballet demands. This hip flexion, or the action of the lifting the leg above 90⁰, can lead to tightening of the IT band and iliopsoas tendon. When this is the case, the IT band may snap over the greater trochanter (external snapping hip), or the iliopsoas tendon may snap against the lesser trochanter (internal snapping hip).
Typically, if you feel a snapping on the outside of your hip, then you are probably suffering from external snapping hip syndrome. However, pain or snapping that seems to be coming from the inside of your hip or groin could be internal snapping hip syndrome. As always, make sure you take a trip the doctor or physiotherapist for a proper diagnosis before trying to ‘fix’ your condition at home!
Whilst strengthening the iliopsoas and surrounding muscles is essential to combatting and preventing snapping hip syndrome (click here for some of the Best Snapping Hip Syndrome Exercises for Dancers – Strengthening Edition), doing so without stretching the hip flexors, quads, glutes and hamstrings is likely to be less effective in making the condition disappear for good!
This is because overuse of the hip flexors in dancers (especially those who don’t engage in proper strength training) can make them tight and weak, and it is this tightness which can cause the IT band/iliopsoas tendon to snap against structures in the hip (think of pinging a taut elastic band back and forth over your fingertip). Tightness of the surrounding muscles can make this snapping worse, meaning that to really combat snapping hip syndrome, we need to work on stretching the whole area, and not just the hips!
Ready to get cracking (or should I say stretching?). If so, then carry on reading for some of my favourite snapping hip syndrome stretches for dancers…
Exercise #1 – the classic hip flexor stretch
If you’ve ever searched the web for hip flexor stretches before, then the chances are that you’ve already encountered this golden oldie many times already! However, although it may be boring, surely this exercise’s popularity must be testimony to its success!?
If you’ve tried this one before, you may have found it to be easy peasy and largely ineffective? If so, it looks like you weren’t doing it properly… at all! The key to this exercise is the action of tucking the pelvis under (posterior pelvic tilt position) before pushing forwards into the stretch. Doing so stretches the quad and iliopsoas of the kneeling leg simultaneously, which works to lengthen the muscles and helps to prevent snapping hip syndrome.
Step 1 – Kneel on the affected leg with the knees at 90⁰ angles
Step 2 – Tuck the pelvis under by engaging the core and glutes
Step 3 – Push forwards until you can feel and a stretch and hold for 30 seconds
Step 4 – Repeat on the other side
For an added stretch, raise your arm your head above (the same arm as the kneeling leg) and reach over to the other side.
Still to easy? Position yourself in front of a wall and place the shin of your kneeling leg against it for an even deeper quad stretch. Uncomfy? You may want to prop a cushion under your knee so that you can stretch for even longer!
Exercise #2 – cow face stretch
Time to release those tight hips! The cow face stretch is a great total-body stretch, however it’s particularly effective for opening tight hips and releasing the piriformis and other gluteal muscles. In other words, embrace your inner cow if you want to reduce the symptoms of snapping hip syndrome!
Step 1 – Sit on the floor and cross your right leg over your left leg. Try to keep your knees aligned and at 90⁰ angles so that your right foot is next to left hip and vice versa.
Step 2 – Reach your left arm over your head and bend it so that you can touch your upper back
Step 3 – Reach your right arm towards your lower back, and link your fingers together behind you
Step 4 – Hold for 3 seconds
It’s important to stay even in your cow face stretch by ensuring that both of your hips/glutes are balanced on the floor, and you are not leaning over to one side.
Not bothered about the shoulder stretch? You can always ditch the arms and concentrate on the legs. Or alternatively, try the stretch lying on your back with your arms on the floor beside you.
Exercise #3 – the pigeon
Now this is one of the best snapping hip syndrome stretches for both opening the hips and lengthening the iliopsoas. And as an added bonus, the pigeon is a fab little stretch for the back and glutes too! When performed correctly, you may be able to feel a nice deep stretch in the iliopsoas of the straight leg, which will really help to combat snapping hip syndrome by releasing tight hip flexors.
Strong yet supple hip flexors can also help to achieve height in arabesques, where the iliopsoas needs to release to allow the leg to extend derrière.
Step 1 – Start by sitting on the floor and extending your left leg out behind you. The upper side of your leg (e.g. your shin, kneecap and quad) should be touching the floor.
Step 2 – Bring your right leg forwards and bend it at a 90⁰ angle so that your foot is in front of your left hip. The outer side of your leg should be on the floor.
Step 3 – Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side
Just as in the cow face stretch, try to keep your hips/glutes aligned and balanced on the floor without leaning over to one side. If you can’t quite get all the way down using the correct technique, try propping yourself up on a yoga block to ease into the stretch gradually over time. Remember, never push yourself into a stretch if it hurts to do so!
Exercise #4 – IT band wall stretch
This one may appear basic, but it can be very effective nonetheless! The purpose of this stretch is to lengthen the IT band that runs down the outer side of the thigh, and when done correctly, it can really help to improve external snapping hip syndrome which occurs when the IT band snaps across the greater trochanter.
Step 1 – Stand facing sideways next to a wall with the affected leg on the inside
Step 2 – Cross the affected leg behind the other leg
Step 3 – Without actively moving the hips, lean away the wall. You may want to hold the wall with your inner arm for stability.
Step 4 – Hold for 30 seconds
Exercise #5 – hamstring stretch
Aside from stretching the IT band and iliopsoas, releasing tight muscles around the hip is essential for combatting snapping hip syndrome.
Step 1 – Lie on your back with your legs fully extended
Step 2 – Without bending the knee, lift one leg towards you until you feel a stretch. Remember to keep the foot flexed!
Step 3 – If it is comfortable to do so, wrap a resistance band around the arch of your foot and gently pull on either side of the band so that your leg moves further towards your chest
Step 4 – Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other leg
They key to performing hamstring stretches is keeping your hips aligned. If you hike up your hip to try and get your leg higher and make your flexibility look more impressive, the stretch becomes ineffective. If you do this you will only be kidding yourself, and aside from hindering the potential for snapping hip syndrome recovery, you will also no doubt find it difficult to perform standing leg extensions if you have been cheating your way through the floor stretches!
Exercise #6 – supine iliopsoas stretch
Feeling tired? Grab a foam roller and get ready to chill for our next stretch! Like the pigeon pose, in this exercise we are going to focus solely on stretching our iliopsoas by lifting the pelvis off the floor using a foam roller. As the leg extends backwards slightly the iliopsoas is allowed to gently lengthen, providing a great way to reduce tightness in the pelvic area, ultimately helping to improve snapping hip syndrome!
Step 1 – Lie down on the floor facing the ceiling
Step 2 – Place a foam roller under the sacrum and try to keep you shoulders and lower legs on the floor
Step 3 – Bend one leg and bring it towards your chest, using your hands to ‘hug’ the knee
Step 4 – Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side
Don’t have a foam roller? No Problem! Try using a yoga block or a stack of books. Alternatively, you could even have a go at using a rolled up a towel!
Final thoughts on The Best Snapping Hip Syndrome Stretches for Dancers
Feeling all nice and stretched out? That’s what we like to hear! Although for fear of being a party pooper, I’m afraid that your quest to banish snapping hip syndrome for good has not in fact ended, but has only just begun! That’s because in order to truly wave that annoying snapping out of the window, we need to work on strengthening the hips and the surrounding muscles, as opposed to merely stretching them! Click here for your guide to the best strengthening exercises for snapping hip syndrome to get started on the next part of your journey.
And the fun doesn’t stop there! In addition to stretching the IT band, iliopsoas, glutes, quads and hamstrings, foam rolling can be a great way to release tightness in these muscles to help improve snapping hip syndrome. Want to learn more? Check out my article Foam Rolling for Snapping Hip Syndrome in Dancers. See you there!
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