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If you feel pain in your hips when you're lying down or immediately standing up after sitting, you might be suffering from hip bursitis. So, what exactly is this condition?
Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa sac that can lead to stiffness and pain in the hips, making it difficult to walk, sit or stand. The Bursa sac is a soft gel-like pillow located between your bones and the connective tissues. Other than the hips, this fluid-filled bursa sac can also be found on the shoulders, knees, elbows and heels.
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There are several things that can lead to hip bursitis pain. That includes your body’s quick response to lifting weights, injuries, performing rigorous exercises that require a lot of hip movement, overusing muscles, etc.
This condition is also quite common among runners, as the continuous motion of running leads to the tearing of the hip muscles over time. While the symptoms of hip bursitis pain vary from person to person, a few common ones include severe hip pain, hip tenderness, leg pain, discomfort when running or climbing stairs, etc.
Exercises to Ease Hip Bursitis Pain
There are several exercises you can do to alleviate this condition. While it's best to see a doctor and get the right treatment, specific exercises can help ease the muscles surrounding your pelvis and waist, potentially helping alleviate hip bursitis pain. On that note, here's a look at seven such exercises:
1) Lying Straight Leg Raises
Lying leg raises is an excellent exercise to build strength in your gluteus medius, which support the outer part of your hips. Strengthening your glutes can be a productive way to prevent hip bursitis.
To do it:
- Lie on your painful side, and keep your top leg straight upwards.
- Slowly raise your leg, and keep it as straight as you can.
- Hold your leg at the top position for a few seconds, and release it back to the initial position.
- Repeat.
2) Clamshell
This exercise helps strengthen your glutes and provide muscular support to your hips, which can reduce hip bursitis pain.
To do it:
- Lie down on your right side, and keep your knees bent at 90 degrees.
- Keep your hips stacked and your left foot (top foot) resting on your right leg (bottom leg).
- Keeping your abs engaged, lift your left knee, but keep both your feet in contact with each other.
- Your left thigh and hip should lift and rotate like a clamshell opening up.
- Hold the position, and release after a few seconds.
3) Hip Rotator Stretch
A hip rotator stretch is an easy yet effective exercise to prevent hip bursitis pain.
To do it:
- Start by lying on your back, and keep both your knees bent.
- Bring the ankle of the affected leg to your opposite thigh, and keep it near your knee.
- Push your knee away using your hands till you feel a stretch in your hips.
- Hold the stretch, and release.
4) Hip Bridges
This exercise engages your glutes, hip flexors, quads and hamstrings. All these muscles help support your hip joint, while also strengthening your hips.
To do it:
- Lie flat on your back on the floor. Keep your feet straight on the ground and your legs bent.
- Push through your heels to lift your hips so that they are aligned with your knees and shoulders. You’ll feel a good stretch in your hamstrings and glutes.
- Bring your hips back to the floor, and relax.
- Repeat.
5) Iliotibial Band Stretch
The iliotibial band stretch (IT band stretch) targets several tissues that are directly affected by hip bursitis pain.
To do it:
- Stand straight with your affected leg against a wall.
- Shift your weight on the affected hip, and cross your other leg in front of it.
- Lift the arm on your affected side above your head, and slowly bend away from the wall, allowing your affected hip to press against the wall.
- Continue to press till you feel a good stretch on your outer hip.
- Hold the stretch for a few minutes, and relax.
6) Lying Leg Circles
The lying leg circles can help improve flexibility, strength and range of motion in the all the muscles responsible for leg and hip rotation. Along with reducing hip bursitis pain, this exercise also helps strengthen your glutes, hip flexors and quads.
To do it:
- Lie on the floor with both your legs extended.
- Lift your right leg three inches off the floor, and make small circles while keeping your leg in line and absolutely straight.
- Switch to your left leg, and repeat the above steps.
7) Fire Hydrant
The Fire hydrant primarily works the glutes and help reduce lower back pain while also reducing the chances of hip bursitis.
To do it:
- Get on all your fours with your knees below your hips and hands below your shoulders.
- Keep your right leg bent, and lift it directly to your side till your thigh and the floor gets parallel to each other.
- Make sure your back and neck are straight and stable, and your core is engaged throughout the exercise.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
Bottom Line
Before performing any of the above-mentioned exercises for hip bursitis pain, make sure you consult a doctor or a physical therapist.
In some cases, bursitis can be severe, and the said exercises can only make your condition worse. In that scenario, it's best to consult a doctor and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
