Pain in the hip can throw a wrench into anyone’s day. While acute hip pain may stem from a sedentary lifestyle, chronic hip pain is often a symptom of several conditions, including arthritis, injuries, or bursitis. Athletes who move their hips in all directions, like gymnasts and dancers, can easily injure their hips and experience hip pain. The most common way to treat hip pain is via rest and physical therapy.
Hip pain can make everyday activities, such as walking up stairs or bending down to tie your shoe, feel like a chore. It doesn’t have to be this way because you can take control and manage hip pain with a few simple lifestyle modifications. Depending on the cause of the pain, ice, stretching, exercise, and strength training, among other things, may alleviate pain. If the damage is so severe, your doctor may recommend hip replacement surgery. If the damage isn’t as severe, experiment with the following tips to help relieve daily hip pain.
Stretch To Ease Stiffness
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) says that stretching the muscles can help restore range of motion and mobility. A great way to ease stiffness is to stand with your left hand against a wall or hair for support. Cross your left leg behind your right and lean your upper body to the right, pushing your hips to the left. You should feel a stretch alone gate outside of your hip and oblique. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and then release. Repeat for a total of four times and then do the same on the other side.
Cool Inflammation With Ice
Icing your hip joint can help reduce inflammation in the affected area, which may reduce overall pain. Wrap an ice pack in a towel and apply it where you feel the pain. Hip pain can also result from lower back tightness, so ice the lower back as well. Aim to ice these areas for about 10 to 15 minutes, up to four times a day. A great time to ice is right after you exercise to help reduce pain or swelling.
Use Heat For Arthritis Pain
If arthritis is the cause of your hip pain, warming up the joint with a heating pad, hot bath, or hot shower can help soothe the joint. Heat helps to increase blood flow to the injured area, which promotes healing. This method of pain management may also improve your workouts, especially if you lie on a heating pad prior to exercising. Check with your doctor first to see if you have bursitis, as heat can aggravate a recent injury.
Start Your Day With Exercise
Exercises that both stretch and strengthen the muscles that support your hips can increase range of motion and reduce pain. Bridge pose, for example, is one exercise that the AAOS recommends to reduce hip pain. It helps strengthen your gluteus muscles and hamstrings, while simultaneously stretching the front of your hip. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor about six inches from your buttocks. Your fingertips should be able to touch your heels. Press your palms into the floor, engage your glutes, and thrust your hips up toward the ceiling. Tighten your core and make sure not to arch your back. Hold this position for about five seconds before lowering back to the floor. Start with one set of 10 and then build up to two or three sets.
Work Out In Water
Certain movements, especially cardiovascular training, can be hard on the joints. An elliptical machine is a great option for people with knee pain, as it doesn’t have the same impact as running on a treadmill. For people with arthritic hip pain, though, water exercises are encouraged. Swimming or engaging in water aerobics are both low-impact exercises that you can do without hurting your hip joints.
Listen To Your Body
Exercise can help relieve your hip pain, whether you believe it or not. When is that pain a sign that you should stop exercising? Health experts state that it’s normal to feel some soreness the day after working out, but it shouldn’t linger or worsen. If you experience sharp or shooting pain during an activity, stop doing it immediately and talk with a doctor or physical therapist about it.
