What to do About Hip Pain From Sitting
If you sit for long hours at a time, you're likely to experience hip pain—but there are things you can do about it.
The most common cause of hip pain from sitting is a condition called iliotibial band syndrome. It's caused by friction between the IT band and the bursa on the side of your hip that faces outwards when you are standing up. This friction causes inflammation and discomfort in the area, which can be painful when you try to walk or run.
But even when you sit at a desk all day, your hips can start to ache. This is because when you sit down, the muscles and tendons in your hips are flexed and tight. The more time you spend in this position, the tighter they get and the more likely it is that you'll have hip pain from sitting.
If this sounds like what you're experiencing, then there are several things you can do about it.
First, seek out one of the manual therapies we offer, such chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture or osteopathy. While getting relief from the pain, your manual therapist at Yellow Gazebo will also likely some suggest some kind of exercise: strengthening and/or stretching to help mitigate your pain and tension.
Note that a chiropractor or physiotherapist will be able to offer a legal diagnosis of your condition, so you may first want to see one of these practitioners at Yellow Gazeb. They will also assess your posture while sitting, identify any imbalances or weaknesses that may be causing your discomfort, and address those issues through specific exercises designed to strengthen the muscles around your hip joint and improve range of motion in them.
Sitting for extended periods of time isn’t just a possible cause for something like pain in your hips. It can also lead to serious health issues like diabetes, heart disease, and more. And we're not just talking about the people who sit in front of a computer all day—we mean anyone who sits on a regular basis, including those who drive or ride public transportation to get around.
But don't worry! With a little effort you can forego most health concerns by seeking out some of the therapies above, plus trying out some of these ideas:
Fortunately, there are things you can do about it! Try these tips:
- Get up and move around every hour or so.
- Take breaks during your workday to stretch and/or walk around outside for 5–10 minutes.
- Do leg lifts while sitting at your desk (try quad sets). Do three sets of 20 repetitions every other day.
- Find a better chair! If your chair isn't ergonomically designed for your body type, then there's no way it can support you properly while you sit at work all day long. So look into getting one that fits YOUR needs—and make sure it has adjustable arms and seat height as well as support under your thighs or knees (depending on which one hurts).
- Use a footrest. If yours doesn't have one already built in somewhere near where your feet go when sitting down (usually underneath each leg), then find some kind of stand that won’t slip on the floor.
If you’d like some more information on how we can help with your hip pain from sitting, would like to book a free consultation, or would like to go ahead and schedule an appointment at Yellow Gazebo, please give us a call at 416-909-2334, email us at info@yellowgazeboclinic.com, or use the online booking link below. We’ll be happy to help you get on your way to optimum health.
