Hip Bursitis or Tendon Injury: Preventing Pain

Topic Overview

Bursitis or a tendon injury (tendinopathy) can cause pain at the side of your hip when you rise from a chair and take your first few steps, climb stairs, drive, or lie down with direct pressure on the side of the hip. See a picture of bursitis of the hip.

To prevent and ease hip pain during work, play, or daily activities:

  • Reach and stay at a healthy weight.
  • Wear well-cushioned shoes, and avoid high heels.
  • Walk up and down stairs one at a time, leading with your strong leg when you go up stairs or curbs, and with your weaker or sore leg when you go down.
  • Warm up before activities.
  • Avoid activities that make one side of the pelvis higher than the other, such as running in only one direction on a track or hiking or doing yard work sideways on a slope. Keep your hips level.
  • Sleep on your uninjured side with a pillow between your knees, or on your back with pillows beneath your knees.
  • Stretch after an activity, when your muscles are warm.

Credits

ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Kenneth J. Koval, MD - Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Trauma

Current as ofNovember 29, 2017