5 Ways To Help With Hip Pain

Hip pain can be very irritating in life and can affect how you walk, exercise or even sleep.

Here are 5 things that may help reduce or eliminate the pain.

1. Find when the pain occurs and change the scenario: Hips can be irritated by bad sitting posture, ill-fitting mattresses and belts/leggings. Identify when the pain occurs and see if changing your seat height, mattress or belts/pants relieves the pain. Trial and error is key in this tip, keep going until you find the variable that reduces the pain.

2. Strengthening: Weak or very tight muscles can cause tension, pain and fatigue in a muscle and create the pain in the hips. You may find that after a long walk, run or biking session, your hips are aching. Here is a link to a few exercises that can help strengthen the muscles around your hips- Hip Exercises

3. Stretching: Stretching the hips can help with tightness and tension, here are a few to start. Yoga can be very helpful to kick start your stretching journey.

• Hip rotation stretch: Lie on your back with your arms by your sides. Bend the leg that you would like to stretch, placing your foot flat on the ground. Keep your other leg straight and on the ground with your toes pointing up. Rotate your bent leg out and away from your body. Do not push your leg any further than is comfortable, and if really begins to hurt, stop stretching it. Hold the stretch for five seconds and then bring your leg back so that your foot is flat on the ground again. Repeat this 10-15 times on each side.

• Hip flexion stretch: Lie flat on your back. Choose the leg you want to work on and then bend it so that your foot is flat on the ground. Wrap your arms around your bent leg, holding on to the shin area, and pull your leg towards your chest. Only go as far as your body will allow–if it begins to hurt, release your leg. Hold your leg against your chest for five seconds and then release. Repeat this process 10 to 15 times on both sides.

• Glute squeezes: Roll a towel into a tight cylinder. Lie on your back with both of your legs bent so that your feet are flat on the ground. Place the towel between your knees. Squeeze your knees together so that you are engaging your buttocks and inner thighs. Hold the squeeze for three to five seconds and then release. Repeat this 10 to 15 times.

4. Seek Chiropractic care: Chiropractors are trained to assess the spine and bone connected to the spine to ensure the joints are moving correctly. We would check your pelvis and lumbar spine (which are connected to the hips via various muscles and ligaments), and assess if the cause of the hip pain is coming from walking, sitting , standing or sleeping. We would help identify the cause and then implement a treatment plan to suit your specific needs. We determine if there is a need for x-rays of any further imaging for the hips or pelvis to rule out any other factors that may be contributing to the pain and appropriate advice will be given.

5. Ice: Hips may sometimes get swollen and hot, you may feel this later in the day or at night before bed. Alternating ice on and off can help with these symptoms. If you are feeling these symptoms, it is best to check in with your health care provider. Our highly trained chiropractors are able to assess and help you find the right direction to ease your pain.

To book an appointment with a chiropractor- click the button above

Yours in health,

Dr Diana Pakzamir

Blossom Family Chiropractic