The hip is the largest joint in the human body. The hips support most of the body's weight and are key to maintaining balance. Because the hip joint and hip area are so important for movement, arthritis and bursitis in this area can be especially painful. Chronic hip pain is common as the body ages, but there are a variety of exercise and lifestyle changes you can make to manage hip pain. Follow these steps to help reduce your hip pain.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Making Lifestyle Changes
Step 1. Seek the diagnosis before anything else
It is very important to know the cause of the pain you are experiencing. See a doctor before starting any exercise or taking any medication. There are many reasons for your hip pain, including arthritis, bursitis, or an injury that occurs while you exercise. Always ask your doctor what you should or shouldn't do, which is the cause of your hip pain.
Step 2. Take pain medication
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are best for relieving hip pain (which is most often caused by joint inflammation). Ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin will reduce inflammation and relieve pain for several hours. NSAIDS block enzymes that produce chemicals that cause inflammation in the body.
If over-the-counter medications such as aspirin don't seem to have much effect, call your doctor. Doctors can prescribe stronger pain relievers. You should also always consult with your doctor before incorporating any new medication (even a regular medication, such as aspirin) into your daily life
Step 3. Compress your joints with ice
Ice applied to your hip will reduce joint inflammation. You should apply an ice pack to the painful area for 15 minutes several times a day.
If you feel the ice pack is too cold to make you uncomfortable, wrap the ice pack in a towel and then place it on the painful area
Step 4. Warm up your joints if you have arthritis in your hip
Warming up the joints can relieve the pain you feel. Consider taking a bath or shower with hot water, or soaking in a hot tub if one is available. Also consider buying a heating pad that you can place directly on your hips.
Do not use heat to relieve joint pain you are experiencing if you have bursitis. The heat can cause the hip affected by bursitis to become actually more inflamed
Step 5. Rest
If you have injured your hip, the best thing you can do is just give it time to heal. Avoid anything that causes you to feel pain in your hip. Instead, grab an ice pack, a bowl of popcorn, and watch some movies. You should rest your hips for at least 24 to 48 hours.
Step 6. Avoid activities that put a lot of pressure on you
If you experience severe pain, you may not want to run or jump after all, but keep in mind that these activities should be avoided. These stressful activities will cause your joints to become more inflamed, causing you to feel even more pain. Instead of running, try walking briskly, as walking puts much less stress on your joints.
Step 7. Consider losing weight
The heavier you are, the more weight the sore hip has to bear. Weight loss can help relieve hip pain by removing some of the weight that is putting pressure on cartilage and joints. Learn how to lose weight here.
Step 8. Choose the right shoes
You should buy shoes that provide as much support as possible. Look for shoes that have good cushioning, or have removable insoles so you can add an orthopedic insole. The sole should provide good shock absorption, should limit pronation (turning or twisting of the foot), and will distribute pressure evenly along the sole of the foot.
Part 2 of 2: Exercising and Stretching
Step 1. Start your day with exercise
The flowing blood and loose joints can make the rest of your day much less painful. In particular, this is a good thing to do if you have arthritis. Start your day by activating your hips with a bridge position exercise.
- Lay your back on the floor with your legs bent. Firmly press the soles of your feet into the floor and feet hip-width apart
- Lift your buttocks off the floor by pressing your ankles. Keep your abs firm and align your knees with your ankles. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. You should hold this position for three to five seconds, then slowly lower your buttocks back to the floor. Repeat these movements 10 times.
Step 2. Exercising in water
Swimming and water sports are great ways to strengthen your hips without putting too much pressure on them (as happens when you run). Consider swimming or joining a water aerobics class at your local gym.
Step 3. Do exercise every day
Again, always consult a doctor or physical therapist before starting any exercise habit intended to reduce hip pain
Stand straight with your feet in front. Lift your right leg horizontally as far as is comfortable for you and return it. Do the same with the other leg. This exercise stretches your hip abductors
Step 4. Strengthen your inner thigh muscles
The inner thigh plays a major role in supporting the hip. Weak inner thigh muscles can cause pain, even in a healthy hip.
- Lie on your back with your arms extended away from your body. Grab an exercise ball with your feet and lift your feet so they are perpendicular to the floor.
- Squeeze the ball using your inner thigh muscles 10 times. Repeat this movement for two or three sets of each of 10 squeezes.
Step 5. Strengthen your outer thigh muscles
Strong outer thighs can be especially helpful when you have hip arthritis, as they support some of your body's weight.
- Lie on the side of your body that is not painful. Lying on a rug or yoga mat will help so you don't just lie on a hard floor.
- Raise the leg with hip pain about 15 cm off the floor. Hold it in the air for two or three seconds, and then lower it back down so that it rests on your other leg (your feet should be parallel to each other and also parallel to the floor).
- Repeat this lifting, holding, and lowering motion 10 times. If possible, do this on the other leg, but stop if it hurts too much.
Step 6. Stretch your hip muscles
Talk to a physical therapist before you start a stretching habit. Stretching can help reduce hip pain while also strengthening the hip muscles so you can avoid pain later in life.
- Hip twist stretch: Lie on your back with your arms at your sides. Bend the leg you are about to stretch, placing your foot flat on the floor. Keep your other leg straight and on the floor with your toes facing up. Rotate the bent leg outward and away from the body. Don't push your leg any further than it feels comfortable, and if it really starts to hurt, stop stretching. Hold the stretch for five seconds and then bring your feet back so they're flat again on the floor. Repeat this movement 10 or 15 times on each side.
- Hip flexing stretch: Lie flat on your back. Choose the leg you want to work on and then bend it so that the sole of your foot is flat on the floor. Wrap your arms around the bent leg, hold it against the shin pad area, and pull your leg toward your chest. Only pull as far as your body will allow-if it starts to hurt, release your leg. Hold your feet against your chest for five seconds and then release. Repeat this movement 10 to 15 times on both legs.
- Gluteal (back muscles) squeeze: Roll a towel into a tight cylinder. Lie on your back with your legs bent so that your feet are flat on the floor. Place a towel between your knees. Squeeze the knees together so that they lock the buttocks and inner thighs. Hold the squeeze for three to five seconds and then release. Repeat this movement 10 to 15 times.
Tips
Talk to your doctor or physical therapist and find out what suggestions are given to help with pain. You should always talk to a professional before you start taking medication, exercising, or stretching
Warning
- Do not continue sports that hurt the hip further. If any of the exercises or stretches that strengthen the muscles above cause pain, try another exercise or stretch.
- Do not heat the joints affected by bursitis. This will worsen the inflammation.
