Hip pain is very common among people who work for hours, sitting at a desk. Remaining in a prolonged seated position is not ideal for the body, and the repercussions are quickly felt. Aches, discomfort, stiffness, numbness... In the long term, pain can truly settle in the lower back, pelvis, and hips.
Why does prolonged sitting cause hip pain? If pelvic pain has become common, it's notably due to our sedentary lifestyles.
Hip pain can manifest on only one side, right or left, radiate into the groin or buttocks, or extend throughout the pelvis or lower back.
In this article, we will explore different types of hip pain, their causes, and provide solutions to prevent and alleviate them when sitting.
Why prolonged sitting causes and worsens hip pain?
Sitting for long hours is not harmless for the body. While the unused pelvic muscles are at rest, the hips remain in flexion, and other parts of the pelvis are compressed and under tension.
Hips locked in prolonged flexion
When you sit, your hip is kept in constant flexion. Sitting for hours every day leads to the shortening of the iliopsoas muscle, an essential flexor for proper hip function.
Hip pain can then appear when standing up, and also cause discomfort during walking. Eventually, the iliopsoas flexor muscle loses flexibility and causes hip stiffness, further limiting pelvic movements.
Under-activated gluteal muscles
In prolonged sitting, the gluteal muscles are very little used. This lack of activity makes the gluteal muscles less reactive: they no longer play their role as stabilizers to support the pelvis.
The inhibition of the gluteal muscles, also called "gluteal amnesia," can cause pain in the hip, pelvis, buttocks, and lower back. This is because these connected areas compensate for the weakness of the gluteal muscle.
Compression of hip structures
Sitting for long periods puts continuous pressure on certain hip structures. Through immobility and poor posture, nerves, tendons, joints, soft tissues, and bursae can become inflamed and cause sharp pain.
Hip bursitis occurs when the bursae become inflamed. Located around the hip joint, these fluid-filled sacs then no longer act as shock absorbers between tendons, muscles, and bones.
A posture that unbalances the entire pelvis
Prolonged sitting posture has consequences for the body and often leads to:
- Pelvic retroversion (pelvis tilted backward)
- Lumbar flexion (back bent forward)
- Poor weight distribution between the spine and lower limbs
- Pelvic and muscular misalignment leading to pelvic imbalance and weakness of support
Maintaining a sitting posture for too long promotes tension in the lower back and hips, especially in the sacroiliac joint (the junction between the spine and the pelvis).
The vicious circle of immobility
It's well known: the less you move, the less you want to move! However, a lack of movement leads—sooner or later—to a loss of mobility.
Inactivity slows down blood and lymphatic circulation. A vicious circle then sets in: unused joints, tendons, and muscles eventually cause stiffness and persistent pain in the pelvis, hips, and buttocks.
Other aggravating factors
Sedentary lifestyle promotes hip stiffness. By sitting, flexors shorten, gluteal muscles lose efficiency, and the pelvis loses mobility. Due to this lack of use, movement becomes painful, especially during walking, climbing stairs, and standing up.
Overweight increases the pressure on the joints. In the long term, this extra weight can accelerate cartilage wear, decrease joint range of motion, and maintain hip pain.
A defective ergonomic workstation can have consequences for your hip health. Maintaining a prolonged sitting position, with crossed legs and a slouched back, is a winning combination for promoting pain.
Lack of muscle strengthening promotes poor posture, stiffness, and consequently, chronic hip pain. On the contrary, strengthening the deep back muscles, abdominals, and glutes helps maintain good posture and stabilize the pelvis.
Different types of hip pain in a sitting position
Depending on where the pain is located and the movement that triggers sensitivity or stiffness, hip pain can be related to various pathologies.
Inflammatory, bone, nerve, joint, or muscular, let's look at the different types of pathologies related to the hips.
Muscular hip pain
Some hip pains originate from the muscles and are very common in sedentary people.
Gluteal tendinopathies (gluteus medius)
The gluteus medius is the muscle that connects the legs to the torso. It is essential for stabilizing the pelvis.
Gluteal tendinopathy manifests as pain that can radiate from the gluteus to the thigh. It is triggered during movement, while walking, or climbing stairs.
Hip flexor syndrome (psoas)
The psoas is one of the hip flexor muscles, extending from the lower back to the femur.
This hip flexor syndrome causes pain in the groin area, with discomfort when standing up or extending the leg.
Tensor fasciae latae syndrome (TFL)
The tensor fasciae latae (TFL) is another hip flexor muscle in the upper thigh.
Tensor fasciae latae syndrome (or IT band syndrome) causes pain on the side and front of the thigh.
Myofascial pain (trigger points)
Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are muscle knots that restrict freedom of movement.
Nerve pain (compression or irritation)
A compressed or irritated nerve causes sharp pain, such as tingling, burning, pulling, or radiating pain, depending on the case. In a prolonged seated position, it is common to put pressure on the nerves located in the hips.
Piriformis syndrome
This syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle compresses the sciatic nerve, triggering pain in the buttocks that can reach the back of the thigh, calf, or even the foot.
Deep Gluteal Syndrome
Deep gluteal syndrome causes pain in the buttock and the back of the leg. It is the result of sciatic nerve compression by anatomical structures (nerves, tendons, muscles...).
Sciatica of lumbar origin
Sciatica causes lower back pain radiating to the hip and sometimes down to the leg.
Meralgia paresthetica
The groin nerve is compressed, triggering a burning sensation or numbness on the side of the thigh.
Joint pain (hip)
Joint pains are mechanical and appear gradually.
Hip osteoarthritis (coxarthrosis)
Hip osteoarthritis causes hip pain and stiffness. It usually occurs when waking up and after immobility.
Femoroacetabular impingement
In femoroacetabular impingement, the hip is painful in flexion when sitting.
Coxa saltans (snapping hip)
Coxa saltans causes a clicking or snapping sensation, uncomfortable when sitting or in motion, depending on the case.
Inflammatory pain and bursitis
Bursitis occurs when the bursae become inflamed. Bursae are small fluid-filled sacs that lubricate and cushion friction between bones, tendons, and muscles.
Trochanteric bursitis
Trochanteric bursitis causes pain on the side of the hip.
Ischial bursitis
Ischial bursitis triggers pain in the ischial tuberosities, the bones located at the base of the pelvis.
Iliopectineal bursitis
Iliopectineal bursitis causes discomfort in the groin, at the front of the hip, and discomfort when sitting.
Bone or referred pain
Sometimes, the source of the pain is not directly the hip. The problem may stem from lower back pain, pelvic disorders (tilt or misalignment), or extra-articular causes (rarer) and radiate into the hip.
Identifying whether the pain comes from the right or left hip, and considering the overall context, is important for diagnosis.
How to prevent hip pain related to sitting?
Move more to limit sedentary lifestyle
The first rule is simple to avoid hip pain related to sitting: move more!
Ideally, if you work sitting down, take an active break every 30 to 60 minutes. Stand up, walk, and stretch to relieve muscles and joints.
Alternate between sitting and standing as often as possible. The body copes better with changing posture than immobility. Take your phone calls while walking and organize standing meetings.
There's no point in having one sports session a week if you spend most of your days sitting. It's better to exercise regularly and incorporate more movement into your daily life. The concept of N.E.A.T (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) encompasses all spontaneous physical activities and offers solutions to move more.
Let's also remember that the WHO (World Health Organization) recommends walking at least 30 minutes a day. So, prioritize walking over driving or public transport when possible.
Improve your workstation ergonomics
There are simple gestures and tips to optimize your workstation's ergonomics.
Organize your desk so that everything is within reach. This helps you avoid bad postures, repetitive unilateral movements, twists, or unnecessary tensions, which can eventually lead to injuries.
Improve your comfort by adopting ergonomic and active furniture :
- An ergonomic office chair should provide good lumbar and cervical support. Check the firmness of the seat: the seating surface should be balanced, neither too firm nor too deep.
- An ergonomic balance ball chair allows for continuous micro-movements. The Bloon Active™ seat helps unlock the pelvis through rotations, strengthens deep muscles, and keeps you active while sitting.
- An ergonomic cushion can provide you with more comfort. It conforms to your body shape, distributes weight, and reduces pressure on the tailbone and lumbar region.
- A sit-stand desk allows you to alternate positions. This prevents you from staying static for too long.
Adopt an appropriate sitting posture
Some simple guidelines can help maintain an appropriate sitting posture when working at a desk:
- Pelvis in a neutral position, neutral pelvis (neither forward nor backward)
- Straight back, without extreme rigidity, head-spine alignment
- Feet flat on the floor
- Hips slightly open, the angle between your torso and thighs should be greater than 90°. This reduces pressure on the hips and promotes a straighter posture
- Weight distributed evenly over both sit bones
- Knees at 90 degrees
- No crossed legs
- Hips at the back of the chair, well positioned in the seat, without slumping backward.
Strengthen and mobilize the hips
Strengthening the gluteal and abdominal muscles stabilizes the pelvis and improves support. Strong glutes and abs promote good posture and prevent compensating with the lower back and psoas (hip flexor muscle).
Hip mobility exercises help maintain pelvic flexibility. The constant micro-movements performed on a balance ball chair are particularly beneficial for limiting stiffness and increasing joint flexibility.
Regular and targeted stretching (psoas, hamstrings, and glutes) helps prevent and relieve hip pain. Discover our tips for stretching at the office.
Adopt a healthy lifestyle
Along with muscle strengthening, adopting correct posture and active sitting, quality sleep, balanced nutrition, and appropriate hydration promote good hip health.
How to relieve hip pain when sitting?
If the pain is already there, here are some tips to relieve hip pain.
Sit properly when you have hip pain
An appropriate sitting position can relieve and prevent hip pain by promoting a straighter posture and limiting compression:
- Support the sit bones.
- Raise your hips, avoid seats that are too hard, and use an ergonomic cushion to limit pressure.
- Recline your seat back to 100-110 degrees.
- Remove all items from your pockets, as they can compress a nerve and increase pain.
- Avoid sitting for too long; static postures create stiffness and discomfort. Take regular breaks and alternate between sitting and standing positions.
Perform targeted stretches to release tension
Do regular stretches to relieve tension and maintain hip mobility. Flexor and extensor stretches are particularly effective for relieving tension.
As a preventative measure, gluteal and hamstring stretches help maintain proper posture and promote pelvic mobility.
Activate muscles to restart circulation
It is crucial to activate muscles to restart blood and lymphatic circulation. Activating the gluteal muscles and daily walking, even light, promotes hip mobility and reduces feelings of stiffness.
Use hot and cold therapy
Cold is useful in cases of inflammation or acute hip pain, while heat is recommended to relax muscles and relieve stiffness.
Self-massage
Self-massage of the glutes, pelvis, or upper thighs can work wonders for relieving hip pain.
When to consult for hip pain while sitting?
If the pain persists, wakes you up at night, radiates down your leg, or is accompanied by a loss of mobility, it is essential to consult a doctor. Medical advice helps to precisely identify the origin of the pain, diagnose the hip pain, and implement the appropriate treatment.
FAQ: Hip pain in a sitting position
Why do my hips hurt when I sit?
Because prolonged sitting keeps the hip in flexion. This leads to compression of structures and atrophy of certain muscles like the psoas.
Can a sedentary lifestyle cause hip pain?
Yes, a sedentary lifestyle promotes stiffness, loss of mobility, postural imbalances, and can cause hip pain.
How to quickly relieve hip pain?
Moving more, limiting sitting time, correcting posture, stretching, and walking relieve hip pain caused by a sedentary lifestyle.
Should I walk when I have hip pain?
Yes, in most cases, gentle and regular walking is recommended to restart blood circulation and reduce stiffness in the hip.
What position should I adopt to avoid hip pain?
The appropriate sitting position to avoid hip pain involves maintaining a neutral pelvis, a straight back, feet flat, hips open, and legs forming a 90-degree angle (not crossed).