10 Ways To Relieve Daily Hip Pain

By Author: Monica Quinn
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When you suffer everyday discomfort in your hip from arthritis (the lack of protective cushioning in the joint) or bursitis (inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs that pad the joint), it can make walking, getting up the stairs, and bending over more challenging. This, however, does not have to be that way. Here are ten things you can take to manage your hip pain better.

1. Start Your Day With Exercise
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), exercises for strengthening and stretching the muscles that support your hips can relieve pain and increase your range of motion. Bridge stretch, for example, strengthens your gluteus muscles (the muscles in your buttocks) and hamstrings (the back of your legs) while stretching the front of your hip.

Lie on your back, legs bent, feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. To lift your buttocks off the floor, tighten your core muscles and press down through your ankles. Maintain a straight line from your knees to your shoulders, making sure not to arch your ...
... back; hold this position for three to five seconds, then slowly lower your buttocks back to the floor. Begin with one set of 10 and gradually increase to two or three sets.

2. Stretch to Ease Stiffness
Stand with your left hand against a wall or a chair for support in this stretch for the sides of your hips. Cross your left leg over your right. Lean the top of your body to the right and scroll your waist so your hips go to the left until you feel a stretch down the outside of your hip. Repeat the stretch for 30 seconds each time on both sides.

3. Strengthen Outer Thighs
Strengthening is critical for reducing hip discomfort. Lay down on your pain-free side, raise the affected leg six inches up and hold for five seconds, then lower it again to straighten the muscle. Attempt 8 to 12 repetitions. Unless it is too painful, repeat on the opposite side. The workout can also be done while standing. Use a resistance band to increase the intensity of your workout.

4. Strengthen Inner Thighs
This is another muscle group that helps in the stability of your hips. If you require additional padding, lie on your side and place a folded towel under your hip. To provide support, bring your upper knee forward to the floor. Raise your lower leg six inches and hold it for five seconds before lowering it. Begin with eight repetitions and work your way up to twelve. Then repeat on the opposite side.

5. Work Out in Water
Choose cardiovascular exercises with caution to prevent extra stress and pressure on your joints. Swimming and water aerobics are excellent ways to exercise without injuring your hip joints.

6. Avoid High-Impact Activities
Running and jumping can aggravate hip pain, so avoid them. The AAOS suggests moving to lower-impact activities such as walking or cycling.

7. Cool Inflammation With Ice
Icing your hip joint can help reduce inflammation and pain. Wrap an ice pack in a piece of fabric and place it on the affected area. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, 4 times per day. If you suffer discomfort or swelling after exercising, try it right away.

8. Use Heat for Arthritis
A hot shower or bath might help reduce pain in an arthritic hip joint. Heat aids healing by increasing blood flow to the wounded area. If you lie on a heating pad for a few minutes before starting your workout, it may help. If you have bursitis, consult your hip pain doctor first. Heat might aggravate an existing injury.

9. Lose Weight for Arthritis Relief
If you have hip osteoarthritis caused by wear and tear on the cartilage in your joint, dropping even a few pounds can help alleviate strain on the joint and relieve hip discomfort. It may also help to keep bursitis from getting worse.

10. Listen to Your Body
You've probably noticed that exercise makes you feel better. But when should you stop exercising or indulging in a certain activity due to pain? Some doctors believe it's natural to be sore the day after exercising, but the pain shouldn't last or worsen. Also, if you feel sharp or shooting pain, stop immediately and consult your doctor or physical therapist.

Greetings, my name is Monica. I graduated from New York Medical College and work as a nurse in Queens Hospital at the moment. The thing I love the most is morning jogging, because it is a wonderful way to keep myself in tonus. I like to communicate with people who care about their health. I became a vegetarian five years ago. Now my daily menu consists mainly of vegetables, fruits and different cheeses. I am a member of water polo team and I love gardening. I like to see how huge flowers grow out of the tiny petal, it dazzles me because I love spending my time outdoors. My goal is to visit all the USA parks, and then all over the world)