Due to hurricane damage, the Havelock location is closed until further notice. Havelock therapists Hannah Zhang, Sarah Hall and Judy Hickes are available to see patients at the New Bern location. Please call the New Bern location at (252) 636-9800 to discuss your care.

What can physical therapists do to treat your hip pain when sitting or lying down?

physical therapy for hip pain

It’s making it hard to sit through a full day of work, and it keeps you tossing and turning while you’re lying down trying to sleep at night. What is making these normal daily activities so hard to do? One possible answer is hip pain. 

Hip pain is a regular visitor in the lives of many U.S. adults. Medical studies reveal that up to 40% of adults who play sports experience chronic hip pain and up to 15% of adults over 60 feel hip pain regularly. Often, hip pain you feel when sitting or lying down is triggered by chronic conditions like osteoarthritis or by injuries like hip bursitis. 

A physical therapist can help you determine why you’re feeling hip pain when sitting or lying down, but their primary function is to help you find effective treatment for your hip pain. 

Three ways physical therapists can treat hip pain you feel when sitting or lying down: 

  1. Aquatic therapy — Water keeps us hydrated and clean, but it can also help reduce pain and recover from injuries — that’s the goal behind a type of PT called aquatic therapy. This technique is typically done in a heated pool, and it often involves doing various strengthening, stretching and range-of-motion exercises. The heat, natural compression and gentle movements can all help ease your pain, too. 
  1. Ergonomic training — This type of training is all about helping you improve your posture. Unfortunately, many people who feel hip pain when sitting or lying down have poor posture. As a result, they’re putting more stress on their hips when sitting or lying down, which can translate into more aching and discomfort. Physical therapists can build you an individualized ergonomic training program that can improve your posture. One common result of this type of training can be a reduction in the pain you’re experiencing. 
  1. Joint mobilization — People with hip arthritis or hip injuries often don’t move enough, and this allows the soft tissue around the hip to stiffen up. In turn, the stiffness in your soft tissue can lead to greater pain. Physical therapists can use their hands to move your hip joint around in ways that can help loosen up the stiff joint and soft tissue. This form of PT is known as joint mobilization. 

Keen to reduce your hip pain? Peak Performance is ready to help you

People who are feeling hip pain when they’re sitting or lying down are undoubtedly looking for help reducing their pain. One place you can find the help you need is at Peak Performance Sports and Physical Therapy. Our team can do a free screening on your hip to determine the cause of your pain. Then, we can construct a customized physical therapy plan for you that can: 

  • Reduce pain.
  • Improve hip mobility. 
  • Increase your ability to perform normal daily tasks. 
  • Decrease your risk of future pain. 

Contact us today for more information about our hip pain treatment services or to schedule an initial appointment to begin addressing your pain.