Why Do My Hips Hurt After Sitting?

Do you find yourself stiff and sore throughout the day? If you feel hip pain after sitting, it’s time to get to the bottom of what’s wrong.

Dr Ron Zukerman, an experienced local Chiropractor can start with a careful assessment to analyse your body’s positioning and provide precise adjustments for any joints that are out of place. It’s just as important to understand and address lifestyle factors that cause hip pain so you’re not cycling through pain again and again.

Are You Stuck in a Painful Posture?

Your body wasn’t made to sit for stretches longer than 15-20 minutes. The effects of gravity add up, putting pressure on the low back and hips, resulting in dysfunction and pain.

As more people work in urban offices or at their desks at home, it’s becoming increasingly common for workers to spend most of their day sitting in front of a screen. Spending most of your time in a sedentary position can lead to challenging health consequences, especially if you already have a health problem to begin with.

The Healing Effects of Movement

Thankfully, there’s a lot you can do to stop feeling stiff and tight. We recommend patients break up long periods of sitting by getting up for a short break once every 15-20 minutes. If possible, try to take a short walk around the office or house before you sit back down again. Remind yourself to go get a glass of water, as regular hydration will also help your body continue to feel its best.

Even if you don’t have time for a full walk, every short burst of movement counts. Sitting for eight hours straight can be disastrous for your hips and low back. Walking for as little as 10-20 seconds can be all it takes to reintroduce movement to your body before continuing work. For best results, also try swinging your arms in 10 big forward circles and 10 big backward circles when you get up. Moving your arms and legs together will help get your blood flowing so you can sit down feeling healthy and invigorated again.

Set Yourself Up Well for Better Health

Correct ergonomics are just as important as movement for reducing pain. You should look straight ahead at the screen, not down. Dr Ron Zukerman can help you establish a proper computer setup. We’ve had individuals take pictures or videos of how they’re sitting at their desk so we can advise them on a better layout for their desk space. We can also invest in the health of entire businesses by coming on site to assess the whole department’s ergonomics.

If you have the option to use a standing desk, we recommend standing at least 50% of the time. Keep a block under one foot to maintain a slight bend in the knee. Don’t forget to switch your legs every five minutes to keep your body symmetrical.