Sleep is supposed to be a restorative time. If you’re living with persistent hip pain, though, the way you sleep could leave you feeling worse come morning.
Fortunately, the opposite is also true. Sleeping in specific positions can alleviate pressure on your hip.
If you’re currently living with persistent hip pain, don’t hesitate to visit us here at Integrated Pain Solutions in Stamford, Connecticut. While changing your sleep position probably won’t be enough to completely alleviate your hip pain, it can absolutely help. When paired with targeted hip pain treatment from Dr. Halina Snowball, you can move toward the pain-free life you deserve.
To head in the right direction, make some changes at night. Avoid sleeping on your stomach or on the side of the hip that hurts. Instead, choose one of these two options.
Sleeping on your back evenly distributes your weight and prevents any one joint from getting strained. That means it’s beneficial for your hips.
If you’re not normally a back sleeper, it can be tricky to get used to this position. Try adding a pillow or bolster under your knees. Not only does this further ease strain on your hip flexors, but it can also help you stay on your back through the night. That added bit of extra support might be what you need to wake up without pain that’s worse than the night before.
If you’re a side sleeper and only one of your hips hurts, sleep on the side that doesn’t have pain.
Grab a pillow and put it between your legs. This protects the hip that you’re not sleeping on. Without the pillow, the knee falling forward can put strain on your hip. With the pillow, your hips stay aligned.
You can get knee pillows specifically designed to serve this purpose, but a normal bed pillow should also do the trick.
If you have very mild hip pain, changing how you sleep might bring you relief. Most people will need to do more, though.
Dr. Snowball can tailor a treatment plan to your specific cause of hip pain and your body. That might include:
When paired with your new sleeping position, your treatment should help you move toward a life with little to no hip pain.
Don’t hobble your way through your days and suffer at night. Try a new sleeping position at home, but don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Snowball for more resources to ease your hip pain. Call our office at 203-293-0549 or request an appointment online today to get started.
