The lifestyle of the majority of people involves sitting for hours. Whether it is working at the office, going for long drives or relaxing at home. Sitting seems normal and gives rest to our legs but doing anything excessive can be harmful even sitting for too long. Standing up after sitting for too long can give a feeling of sharp discomfort, stiffness or tightness in the hip region. In recent times, hip pain is not just a problem for old people. Hip pain caused by sitting for too long can be commonly seen in office workers, students, and young adults. In this blog, we will know about why hip pain occurs from sitting and how you can prevent it.
How Does Sitting Cause Hip Pain?
One of the most common reasons for hip pain is sitting for an excessive amount of time. Sitting for too long causes:
- The muscles around the hip get tightened
- Can have Gluteal Amnesia (where glute muscles become weak due to prolonged sitting)
- Reduction in blood circulation
- Stress on the lower back along with the hip joint
Sitting for too long makes the body adapt to that position which causes stiffness when you stand up again.
One of the major questions is that how much time is considered too long to sit, which can cause hip pain? Sitting continuously for 30 to 60 minutes without any interruption may also be a reason for hip stiffness and discomfort. Regularly sitting for this much time without any movement can cause hip joint pain in some weeks or months.
Cause of Hip Pain While Sitting
There are many reasons which can cause pain in hip from sitting. Some of the causes are mentioned below:
- Muscle tightness occurs when sitting for a long time, which can shorten the hip flexor and make the glute muscles weak.
- Bursitis can cause inflammation in the fluid-filled sacs also known as bursae. This causes pain, especially when sitting.
- Having poor posture, like leaning forward or leaning backwards too much can cause hip pain from sitting.
- Arthritis is a very common cause of hip pain. Conditions like osteoarthritis can cause stiffness.
- Sciatica is a problem in which the sciatic nerve gets compressed and causes pain. Sitting for too long can put pressure on the lower region of the spine. This causes the nerve to get compressed.
Symptoms of Hip Pain While Sitting
Understanding how hip is caused while sitting is helpful, but having the knowledge of its symptoms is also important. Some symptoms of hip pain while sitting are mentioned below:
- Pain & Stiffness: This is one of the most common symptoms. You can feel pain while sitting or while standing up. The joint will also feel stiff while standing up after a long time.
- Reduced Mobility: You will have difficulty in movement or in changing positions.
- Clicking Sound: Sometimes you can hear a clicking sound or have a locking feeling while making any movement.
How to Relieve Hip Pain While Sitting?
The problem of having pain in hip from sitting is very common nowadays and can be found in any age group. As this is a common problem, there are ways that can help manage or prevent hip pain.
- Take Constant Breaks: If you need to sit for a long period of time, you must stand up every 30 to 45 minutes. This will improve the circulation and reduce the stress.
- Ergonomic Support: Sit on a good chair that has lumbar support and cushions. These chairs help in proper alignment and allow you to sit for multiple hours.
- Heat & Cold Method: This will help relieve the pain by relaxing the tight muscles and reducing the inflammation.
- Stretching: Doing proper stretching and hip exercises will make your muscles more strong. This will help relieve the hip pain.
- Healthy Lifestyle: This means maintaining a proper weight and posture will reduce the stress on the hip joint.
These are some home remedies for hip pain management. But if these remedies do not work, you can try physiotherapy for hip pain management. It is done under professional care in which a therapist will provide you with a proper plan to follow.
Exercises and Treatment for Hip Pain While Sitting
Hip pain from sitting is normally caused by the tightening of the hip flexors or due to weak glutes. The right exercise can help in reducing the hip pain. But before exercise you must also do some stretching.
Hip Flexor Stretch
This is a stretching exercise and is also very effective. This helps in reducing the pressure on the hip, making the muscles loose and improving the posture. To perform this, put one foot forward at a 90 degree angle. After this, keep your back straight, push your hip forward and hold it there for at least 30 seconds. Now repeat the process with the other side.
Butterfly Stretch
The butterfly stretch helps in increasing the flexibility and mobility of the hip. This stretching method also reduces the tightness caused by sitting too long. To perform this, you need to sit on the ground and bring the soles of your feet together. After joining them together, gently press your knees toward the ground and hold for 20–30 seconds.
Glute Bridges
This is a strength exercise. This helps in improving the strength of the glutes and improves posture. For this, you need to lie down on your back with your knees bent. Then lift your hips upwards and hold it for at least 3 to 5 seconds and repeat it 10 -15 times.
Squats
Squats are an exercise that not only increases the strength of your hips but also strengthens your lower body. This helps in building the muscles in your hips and legs as well as improving the durability. To do squat you need to align your legs with your shoulders. Now keep your back straight bend your knees and drop your hips downwards but not completely. Hold it for few seconds in the air and then stand up again.
Medical Treatments
You can consider getting medical treatments if the pain is not decreasing even after trying the exercises or the prevention tips. Some of the medical treatments are:
- Heat & Cold Therapy: This is used to relax the tight muscles and reduce the inflammation.
- Physical Therapy: In this, a trainer or a physiotherapist makes a structured plan for exercises. This helps in reducing the hip pain from sitting.
- Medication: Doctors may prescribe anti-inflammatory and muscles relaxing drugs after consulting the doctor.
When to See a Doctor?
Even if pain in hip from sitting can occur in any age group it is still occasional and not for a long time. But if you face any symptoms that are mentioned below, then you must consider a doctor:
- Pain is increasing over time rather than decreasing
- Pain spreads from hip to the leg
- Swelling and redness around the hip or groin region
- Difficulty in doing daily activities
- Pain and discomfort while sleeping
Conclusion
Pain in hip from sitting is a very common issue in office workers, students, and sedentary individuals. People nowadays sit for multiple hours without any movement or in a bad posture, which causes hip pain. We have mentioned some tips on how to avoid hip pain and some exercises that will help in reducing the pain. If you still experience symptoms, then you must speak to your doctor.
