How to Prevent Hip Pain: Simple Habits That Protect Your Joints as You Age

Hip pain sounds like a problem that only senior adults experience, but people of all ages go through this kind of discomfort. Around 10% of the general population experiences chronic hip pain, and if you never have, believe us when we say it’s no picnic. Whether you’re sitting, standing, walking, or even sleeping, hip pain makes life difficult. 

Fortunately, there are small habits you can infuse into your day-to-day life to help avoid hip pain and protect your joints as you get older. And at Texas Health Care’s Bone and Joint Clinic, we’re always ready to help. 

Our team — including James Brezina, MD; David Brigati, MD; Gary Driver, DPM; Andrew Lee, MD; Steven Meyers, MD; Joseph Milne, MD; Grace Reynolds, MD; Stephen Troum, MD; and Torrance Walker, MD — believes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So, keep reading and start implementing these behaviors into your life as soon as you can. 

Why hip pain is so difficult to deal with 

You may be wondering if hip pain is really such a problem. Unfortunately, those who suffer from it experience issues doing almost anything. Being active and involved in sports or even just taking a stroll becomes much more difficult with this issue. That’s because of the way your hips engage when you walk, run, or move in any way. 

But hip pain can also make nonactive pursuits uncomfortable. Driving a car, for instance, requires you to sit comfortably for a long time and use your legs and feet, which can be much more difficult if your hips are hurting. And even sleeping can be hard if you can’t put any pressure on either side.  

Preventing hip pain: The best ways to protect your hips as you age

There are simple things you can do to protect your hips. Try implementing some of the behaviors listed here into your regular schedule. 

• Participate in gentle, low-impact exercises, such as swimming, instead of running 
• Stretch before exercising. Also, consider folding yoga into your fitness routine
• Wear the proper shoes when you’re exercising, working, or walking
• If you have flat feet, wear shoe inserts
• Consider taking supplements like vitamin D3 and calcium 
• Use a conditioning program specifically meant to strengthen the hips
• Avoid a sedentary lifestyle; sitting too long can increase hip pain
• Sleep on your back to reduce pressure on your hips

What to do if you already have hip pain

Unfortunately, you may already be among the many people dealing with hip discomfort — whether it’s related to an overly active lifestyle, too much sitting, a physically demanding job, or something else entirely. If that sounds familiar, try incorporating these habits to help ease strain on your hips. 

Just as important, schedule an appointment with one of our providers. Persistent hip pain can signal an underlying issue that warrants closer examination.

Hip pain is associated with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, and more. Plus, you may have injured yourself and need to seek a medical professional’s help to avoid exacerbating the problem. Whatever the case, we can help you determine your next moves and get you feeling like yourself again.  

We’re accepting new patients at our offices in Fort Worth, Southlake, and Weatherford, Texas. Call or book online to schedule an appointment.