3 Habits That Can Worsen Hip Pain

Since your hip is the biggest joint in your body, it’s especially bothersome when it has pain. Hip discomfort might have you giving up things you used to enjoy or avoiding even simple activities like getting up to get a glass of water. 

Fortunately, at Hawai’i Pain and Spine on the Windward side of Oʻahu in Kailua, Dr. Jonathan D. Carlson offers dedicated care for hip pain. As a specialist in this kind of discomfort, he works with you to tailor a treatment plan that brings you relief. That often means exploring options like medication and physical therapy, but it also generally includes lifestyle modifications.

Specifically, Dr. Carlson recommends you break these three habits that can make your hip pain worse.

#1: Not striking the right balance of activity

It can be tempting to move in accordance with your hip pain. When it hurts, you might not do much at all. When it feels good, you might rush back to the physical activities you enjoy. 

When you’re living with hip pain, though, you need to find a balance of activity. Generally, that means a little bit of low- or moderate-intensity exercise each day. Options like cycling or swimming can help you avoid a sedentary lifestyle — which can make your pain worse — without aggravating your hip issue. 

#2: Sitting too much

Americans sit for 10 hours a day, on average. But extended periods of sitting can strain the tendons in your hip, worsening your hip pain. Try to break it up by either getting up or lying down. 

Generally, experts recommend that people should get out of a seated position every 30 minutes. Even standing for a few minutes to get a glass of water, use the restroom, or check the mail can give your hip the reprieve it needs. 

If you want to stay at rest for an extended period of time, try to lie down rather than sit. The more you can recline, the more you can alleviate pressure on your hip joint. When you’re watching TV, reading, or otherwise enjoying some downtime, try to prop your feet up and put something under your lower back. Pillows can go a long way here. 

#3: Sleeping on the side that hurts

Just like sitting, sleeping can put pressure on your hip joint, making your pain worse. It all comes down to the way you sleep. You should make every effort possible to avoid sleeping on the side of the hip that hurts.

If that’s your normal sleeping position, adjusting can be difficult, especially at first. Again, pillows can help here. To learn to sleep on your other side, lie on the side of the non-affected hip and put a pillow behind you. This can prevent you from switching to the other side in your sleep. And waking up in the morning with less hip pain might be the motivation you need to push through any awkwardness as you adjust to your new sleeping position. 

These are just a few changes you can make to avoid worsening your hip pain. To take more steps toward getting relief, call our office to schedule your hip care appointment today.