When experiencing hip pain, avoid high-impact activities (running, jumping), deep squats, lunges, leg presses, and hip-intensive Pilates/leg lifts, as these movements place excessive stress, compression, or repetitive strain on the hip joint, aggravating conditions like bursitis or arthritis; instead, opt for low-impact exercises and modifications that keep knees below hips and avoid deep flexion.
Here are the main hip arthritis exercises to avoid:
Certain leg exercises, like deep squats, lunges, and leg presses, can stress the hip joints and increase stiffness and pain. These exercises typically require sitting in a deep squatting or lunging position or at an incline with heavy weight bearing down on your legs.
Hip discomfort is common during menopause because declining estrogen affects collagen, joint lubrication, and muscle balance¹². These changes are normal and manageable, and many women find meaningful relief with steady movement, supportive habits, and guided musculoskeletal care.
High-Impact Aerobics: High-impact exercises like running, jumping jacks, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts involving rapid, sudden movements can strain the hip joint unexpectedly and aggravate joint pain. They should be approached with caution if you have severe pain.
The best way to speed up your healing time is to rest. Don't participate in strenuous exercises or activities that can put stress on your healing tendon. Your healthcare provider will let you know when it's safe to return to your favorite sports and activities after your tendon heals.
In today's digital world, prolonged sitting—especially at desks—is one of the most common causes of hip pain. Long hours in a seated position can lead to muscle tightness, joint stiffness, and poor posture, all of which contribute to hip discomfort.
Red flags for hip pain needing urgent attention include sudden, severe pain after injury, inability to bear weight, significant swelling/redness/warmth, night pain disrupting sleep, fever, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, neurological symptoms (weakness/numbness), or a history of cancer, as these can signal serious issues like fractures, infections, or malignancy, requiring prompt medical evaluation beyond typical muscle soreness.
One of the quickest ways to relieve hip pain is through the application of ice or heat. For acute injuries or inflammation, applying ice for 15-20 minutes every few hours can help reduce swelling and numb the pain. On the other hand, for chronic pain or stiffness, heat therapy can be more beneficial.
Pain felt on the inside of the hip or in the groin area typically suggests issues within the hip joint itself. Hip pain on the outer side of the hip, upper thigh or outer buttock typically is related to issues with the muscles, ligaments, tendons or other soft tissues, such as bursal sacs, surrounding the hip joint.
When stairs are climbed, the pressure on the hip joint can exacerbate this discomfort. Additionally, chronic hip pain conditions like osteoarthritis can lead to hip pain while climbing stairs.
Heat It Up
If you have an arthritic hip joint, using warm heat from a bath or a shower can help soothe the joint. Be advised, however, that if you have bursitis, you should not use heat, as it can actually make the inflammation worse.
Usually, workouts that involve high-impact movement, such as running or jumping, can put too much stress on the hip joint and worsen arthritis symptoms. Additionally, exercises that require deep hip flexion or rotation, such as leg presses or deep squats, can increase inflammation and aggravate hip pain.
Swimming. Swimming is one of the most recommended low-impact exercises for weight loss and joint pain management. Buoyancy reduces the stress on your body by supporting your weight, while the water provides resistance to strengthen your muscles without adding pressure to your hip joints.
Your gluteus medius—a lesser-known muscle near your hip—is prone to weakness that can lead to hip and leg problems. Strengthening exercises and physical therapy can help alleviate the pain.
What to Avoid to Slow the Progression of Osteoarthritis. High-impact sports Avoid sports or exercises that involve repetitive jumping or heavy impact, such as football, basketball, tennis, marathon running, or high-intensity aerobic workouts. These activities can worsen joint pain and lead to further joint damage.
Osteoarthritis. This is a very common cause of a daily, dull pain in the hip. With osteoarthritis, your joints become stiff and swollen due to inflammation and breakdown of cartilage, causing pain and deformity.
Sleep on your back. If changing your sleep position is hard, try putting a pillow between your knees or slightly behind your back to relieve pressure and keep your hips aligned. A mattress topper or more supportive mattress might also help. Dozens of conditions and injuries can make your hips hurt.
If you have hip pain, it can be tempting to take it easy and avoid standing and walking, but in many cases, movement is medicine. Contact us today to take the first step toward relief.
Early signs of hip problems include hip pain, ache or discomfort, as well as stiffness or reduced mobility. What does a bad hip feel like? Depending on the underlying cause, bad hip pain can feel dull and throbbing, or sharp and stabbing. If you have severe hip pain, see your GP as soon as possible.
Anti-inflammatory medicines can reduce inflammation, relieving nerve pressure and pain. We may also prescribe the supplement glucosamine to strengthen the cartilage around your joint. In some cases, we might administer corticosteroids or other medications through a shot directly into your hip.
That happens because sitting changes how your muscles, nerves, and circulation behave. Muscles that should fire to move you forward have been quiet and slow to wake. Blood pools a bit in your legs, making them feel heavy. Nerves that sense position and balance have been compressed or dulled.
4 everyday habits that make hip pain worse
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