External Snapping HipSnappy HipNCT06924164
Progressive Resistance Training for Adults With External Snapping Hip
A study testing Progressive resistance training, Waiting time and Self guided exercise in people with External Snapping Hip and Coxa Saltans External, run by Aarhus University Hospital at 13 sites in Denmark.
Trial summary
External snapping hip is characterised by an audible and painful snap during hip movement among physical active people around 15-40 years old. Progressive resistance training has been suggested as a new potential treatment path in treating patients with external snapping hip. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 40 years
- Conditions the study is for
- External Snapping Hip, Coxa Saltans External
- What is being tested?
- Progressive resistance training, Waiting time and Self guided exercise
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- 13 sitesDenmark
- Study dates
- 1 Jul 2025to 1 Apr 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 40 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18-40 years (10)
- Experienced lateral hip joint "snapping" with pain discomfort within the last 14 days
- Able to demonstrate the audible and/or visible lateral "snapping" during lateral hip joint movementor popping sound when the hip joint moves
- Capable of commuting to the training facility
- Proficient in reading and understanding Danish or English
Who cannot join
- Previous surgery on the affected hip
- Planned surgery on lower extremities within the trial period
- Anterior or medial hip discomfort that substantially exceeds the lateral hip discomfort
- Any contraindication to exercise
- Neurological, rheumatoid, or mental conditions affecting the hip function
- Ongoing active cancer treatment
- Planned vacation for more than 14 days within the intervention period
- Pregnancy
Trial locations and contacts
13 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
13 sites in 1 country
Denmark13 sites, 13 recruiting
- Not yet recruiting
Aalborg Universitetshospital
Aalborg, 9000
Jens Kristinsson, 004597660000, hjk@rn.dk
- Recruiting
Aarhus University Hospital
Aarhus N, 8200
Lisa U Tønning, PhD, +4526474080, lisatoenning@clin.au.dk
Inger Mechlenburg, DMSc, +4521679062, inger.mechlenburg@clin.au.dk
- Not yet recruiting
Rigshospitalet
Copenhagen, 2100
Peter Horstmann, 004535453545, peter.frederik.horstmann.02@regionh.dk
- Not yet recruiting
Bispebjerg og Frederiksberg Hospital
Copenhagen, 2400
Søren Overgaard, 004538635000, soeren.overgaard@regionh.dk
- Not yet recruiting
Regionshospitalet Gødstrup
Herning, 7400
Christina F Frandsen, 004578430000, chrifroe@rm.dk
- Not yet recruiting
Nordsjællands Hospital - Hillerød
Hillerød, 3400
Samir Sarvan, 004548294829, samir.sarvan@regionh.dk
- Recruiting
Regionshospitalet Horsens
Horsens, 8700
Jeppe Lange, PhD, 004578425000, jeppe.lange@clin.au.dk
- Not yet recruiting
Hvidovre Hospital
Hvidovre, 2650
Per Hölmich, 0045 38623862, per.hoelmich@regionh.dk
- Not yet recruiting
Sjællands Universitetshospital - Køge
Køge, 4600
Eva Wetke, 004556631500, ewe@regionsjaelland.dk
- Not yet recruiting
Næstved, Slagelse og Ringsted Hospital
Næstved, 4700
Henrik Vilsner, 004556512000, hvl@regionsjaelland.dk
- Not yet recruiting
Odense Universitetshospital
Odense, 5000
Louise D Petersen, 004566113333, louise.dyhring.petersen@rsyd.dk
- Not yet recruiting
Regionshospitalet Randers
Randers, 8930
Daniel Wæver, 004578420000, DANWAE@rm.dk
- Not yet recruiting
Sygehus Lillebælt - Vejle
Vejle, 7100
Henriette Holm, 004579405000, Henriette.Bruhn.Appel.Holm@rsyd.dk
About this study
Official title: Snappy Hip Trial: A Randomized Crossover Trial Comparing the Clinical and Cost-effectiveness of Progressive Resistance Training Compared to Usual Care on Pain for Adults With External Snapping Hip
External snapping hip is characterised by an audible and painful snap during hip movement among physical active people around 15-40 years old. Progressive resistance training has been suggested as a new potential treatment path in treating patients with external snapping hip. The investigators conducted a feasibility study and found that patients reported less pain and improved their physical function, quality of life and muscle strength after 12 weeks of progressive resistance training. The overall aim of the project is to compare hip pain in patients with external snapping hip treated with progressive resistance training to a wait-and-see approach, in a randomised controlled trial. This study has the potential to establish a new and specific treatment option for patients with external snapping hip, to be used nationally and internationally.
Read the detailed description
This trial is an international multicentre randomised controlled trial, following the CONSORT guidelines. The intervention is a 12-week progressive resistance training programme, and the trial is designed with three follow-up time points. After the baseline test, the patients will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention or the control group using the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) source hosted at Aarhus University. For both groups, the first test will be the baseline test, conducted before the randomisation. The second test will be conducted 6 weeks after randomisation, the third test will be conducted 12 weeks after randomisation and the fourth and last test will be conducted 24 weeks after randomisation. The primary outcome will be the change from baseline to the third follow-up, and the trial will be powered based on this period. The lasting effect of the intervention will be evaluated from baseline to the fourth follow-up test for the intervention group.
- Conditions
- External Snapping Hip, Coxa Saltans External
- Being tested
- Progressive resistance training, Waiting time, Self guided exercise
- Keywords
- External snapping hip, Progressive resistance training, Coxa saltans external, Exercise
- Medical subject headings
- Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Progressive resistance trainingOther
Also called Exercise therapy
The progressive resistance program consist of a five-minute aerobic warm-up on either an ergometer bike, treadmill or rowing machine followed by six resistance training exercises: landmine twist, walking lunges, leg press, hip abduction, hip adduction and hip flexion. All training sessions (three per week) will be supervised for the first two weeks. After that, there will be one weekly supervised training session and two self-directed sessions. The subjects will be scheduled for 36 training sessions over 12 weeks, of which 16 will be supervised. Each training session is designed based on the findings from the feasibility study and is expected to last approximately one hour. If a subject cannot perform all scheduled sessions in a week, additional sessions will be planned for the following week to obtain the 16 supervised sessions.
Waiting timeBehavioural
Also called Waitlist, Wait
12 weeks of waiting time
Self guided exerciseBehavioural
Also called Wait, Self training
12 weeks of self guided exercise
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control group: Wait and see approach | Other | The control group are randomized to 12 weeks of waiting time followed by 12 weeks of progressive resistance training. Receives: Other: Progressive resistance training; Behavioral: Waiting time |
| Intervention group: progressive resistance training | Experimental | The intervention group are randomized to 12 weeks of progressive resistance training followed by 12 weeks of self guided exercise Receives: Other: Progressive resistance training; Behavioral: Self guided exercise |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
HAGOS Pain
The HAGOS is a patient-reported questionnaire consisting of six different subscales. The pain subscale consists of 10 questions, which are all answered using standardised answer options following a 0-4-point Likert Scale. The scores are transformed into a subscale score ranging from 0 (worst) to 100 (best). A minimal clinically relevant difference of the HAGOS pain subscale has been reported to be 9.7 points among a group of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement.
Measured: Baseline, week 6, week 12 and week 24
Secondary outcomes (7)
HAGOS
The remaining five subscales of HAGOS: symptoms, function in daily living (ADL), function in sport and recreation (Sports/Rec), participation in physical activities (PA) and hip and/or groin-related quality of life (QOL). The scores are transformed into a subscale score ranging from 0 (worst) to 100 (best).
Measured: Baseline, week 6, week 12 and week 24
UCLA-AS
The patient-reported questionnaire: the University of California Los Angeles Activity Scale. There is only one question with 10 answers, ranging from 1 (worst) to 10 (best).
Measured: Baseline, week 12 and week 24
GPE
The patient-reported questionnaire: the Global Perceived Effect, where the participant answers four questions about the effect of the treatment received. Each question has 7 possible answers, ranging from 1 (best) to 7 (worst).
Measured: Baseline, week 12 and week 24
Single leg hop test
The objective measures include the single-leg hop for a distance test to test hip function. The hop distance is measured in cm.
Measured: Baseline, week 12 and week 24
30 second unilateral sit-to-stand test
The unilateral 30 second Sit to Stand test (unilateral 30STS) is a clinical test of lower extremity function. The unilateral 30STS tests how many correct repetitions of a sit to stand from a chair, a participant can complete in 30 seconds.
Measured: Baseline, week 12 and week 24
Number of training sessions the participant participated in
Adherence to the exercise protocol will be evaluated based on information from the physiotherapists and a self-reported training diary. Good adherence will be defined as participation in more than ≥70% of all training sessions (both supervised and self-training).
Measured: Throughout the study, summed in week 24
Adverse events
The physiotherapist will record any adverse events occurring during the study period.
Measured: Throughout the study, summed in week 24
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Apr 2025
- Study start1 Jul 2025
- Primary completion1 Apr 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Apr 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for External Snapping HipStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Aarhus University Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Aarhus
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Stig S Jakobsen, PhD, Study director, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, DKLisa U Tønning, MHSc, Principal investigator, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, DKInger Mechlenburg, DMSc, Study director, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, DKUlrik Dalgas, PhD, Study director, Department of Public Health, Sports, Aarhus University, DKTroels Kjeldsen, PhD, Study director, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, DKCara Lewis, PhD, Study director, Department of Physical Therapy, Boston University, Boston, USMartin Lamm, MSc, Study director, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, DKJoanne L Kemp, PhD, Study director, La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06924164
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Snappy Hip Tirial
- Other IDs
- 4308-00012B
- Acronym
- Snappy Hip
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 28 Mar 2025
- Last updated
- 7 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Anonymized patient-level data will be made available if required by the scientific journal, in which the results of the trial are published. Additionally, researchers presenting a justified cause for receiving the data can obtain it after a data access agreement has been signed.
Publications
Tonning LU, Jakobsen SS, Dalgas U, Kjeldsen T, Lamm M, Kemp J, Bibby BM, Lewis CL, Mechlenburg I. Effects of resistance training for external snapping hip: protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Contemp Clin Trials. 2026 Sep 5:108465. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2026.108465. Online ahead of print.
PubMed 42700862
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 7 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Snappy Hip Trial: A Randomized Crossover Trial Comparing the Clinical and Cost-effectiveness of Progressive Resistance Training Compared to Usual Care on Pain for Adults With External Snapping Hip
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06924164
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Snappy Hip / Snappy Hip Tirial
- Conditions
- External Snapping Hip, Coxa Saltans External
- Keywords
- External snapping hip, Progressive resistance training, Coxa saltans external, Exercise
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Aarhus University HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Aarhus
- Study start
- 1 Jul 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Apr 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Apr 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 11 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
External snapping hip is characterised by an audible and painful snap during hip movement among physical active people around 15-40 years old. Progressive resistance training has been suggested as a new potential treatment path in treating patients with external snapping hip. The investigators conducted a feasibility study and found that patients reported less pain and improved their physical function, quality of life and muscle strength after 12 weeks of progressive resistance training. The overall aim of the project is to compare hip pain in patients with external snapping hip treated with progressive resistance training to a wait-and-see approach, in a randomised controlled trial. This study has the potential to establish a new and specific treatment option for patients with external snapping hip, to be used nationally and internationally.
Detailed description
This trial is an international multicentre randomised controlled trial, following the CONSORT guidelines. The intervention is a 12-week progressive resistance training programme, and the trial is designed with three follow-up time points. After the baseline test, the patients will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention or the control group using the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) source hosted at Aarhus University. For both groups, the first test will be the baseline test, conducted before the randomisation. The second test will be conducted 6 weeks after randomisation, the third test will be conducted 12 weeks after randomisation and the fourth and last test will be conducted 24 weeks after randomisation. The primary outcome will be the change from baseline to the third follow-up, and the trial will be powered based on this period. The lasting effect of the intervention will be evaluated from baseline to the fourth follow-up test for the intervention group.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control group: Wait and see approach | Other | Other: Progressive resistance training, Behavioral: Waiting timeThe control group are randomized to 12 weeks of waiting time followed by 12 weeks of progressive resistance training. |
| Intervention group: progressive resistance training | Experimental | Other: Progressive resistance training, Behavioral: Self guided exerciseThe intervention group are randomized to 12 weeks of progressive resistance training followed by 12 weeks of self guided exercise |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Age 18-40 years (10)
- Experienced lateral hip joint "snapping" with pain discomfort within the last 14 days
- Able to demonstrate the audible and/or visible lateral "snapping" during lateral hip joint movementor popping sound when the hip joint moves
- Capable of commuting to the training facility
- Proficient in reading and understanding Danish or English
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Previous surgery on the affected hip
- Planned surgery on lower extremities within the trial period
- Anterior or medial hip discomfort that substantially exceeds the lateral hip discomfort
- Any contraindication to exercise
- Neurological, rheumatoid, or mental conditions affecting the hip function
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive resistance trainingAlso: Exercise therapyThe progressive resistance program consist of a five-minute aerobic warm-up on either an ergometer bike, treadmill or rowing machine followed by six resistance training exercises: landmine twist, walking lunges, leg press, hip abduction, hip adduction and hip flexion. All training sessions (three per week) will be supervised for the first two weeks. After that, there will be one weekly supervised training session and two self-directed sessions. The subjects will be scheduled for 36 training sessions over 12 weeks, of which 16 will be supervised. Each training session is designed based on the findings from the feasibility study and is expected to last approximately one hour. If a subject cannot perform all scheduled sessions in a week, additional sessions will be planned for the following week to obtain the 16 supervised sessions. | Other | Control group: Wait and see approach, Intervention group: progressive resistance training |
| Waiting timeAlso: Waitlist, Wait12 weeks of waiting time | Behavioural | Control group: Wait and see approach |
| Self guided exerciseAlso: Wait, Self training12 weeks of self guided exercise | Behavioural | Intervention group: progressive resistance training |
Primary outcome
HAGOS Pain
Time frame: Baseline, week 6, week 12 and week 24
The HAGOS is a patient-reported questionnaire consisting of six different subscales. The pain subscale consists of 10 questions, which are all answered using standardised answer options following a 0-4-point Likert Scale. The scores are transformed into a subscale score ranging from 0 (worst) to 100 (best). A minimal clinically relevant difference of the HAGOS pain subscale has been reported to be 9.7 points among a group of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement.
7 secondary outcomes
HAGOS
Time frame: Baseline, week 6, week 12 and week 24
UCLA-AS
Time frame: Baseline, week 12 and week 24
GPE
Time frame: Baseline, week 12 and week 24
Single leg hop test
Time frame: Baseline, week 12 and week 24
30 second unilateral sit-to-stand test
Time frame: Baseline, week 12 and week 24
Number of training sessions the participant participated in
Time frame: Throughout the study, summed in week 24
Adverse events
Time frame: Throughout the study, summed in week 24
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 7 Oct 2026.
- Background: PubMed 42700862Tonning LU, Jakobsen SS, Dalgas U, Kjeldsen T, Lamm M, Kemp J, Bibby BM, Lewis CL, Mechlenburg I. Effects of resistance training for external snapping hip: protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Contemp Clin Trials. 2026 Sep 5:108465. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2026.108465. Online ahead of print.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Anonymized patient-level data will be made available if required by the scientific journal, in which the results of the trial are published. Additionally, researchers presenting a justified cause for receiving the data can obtain it after a data access agreement has been signed.
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Stig S Jakobsen, PhD study director
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, DK
Lisa U Tønning, MHSc principal investigator
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, DK
Inger Mechlenburg, DMSc study director
Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, DK
13 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Progressive resistance training, Waiting time and Self guided exercise in people with External Snapping Hip and Coxa Saltans External, run by Aarhus University Hospital at 13 sites in Denmark.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 13 sites in Denmark. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Lisa U Tønning, MHSc (+4526474080, lisatoenning@clin.au.dk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
HAGOS Pain (time frame: Baseline, week 6, week 12 and week 24). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06924164, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Oct 2026.