Most hip pain improves with a combination of rest modifications, targeted exercises, and over-the-counter pain relief. The right approach depends on what’s causing the pain, how long you’ve had it, and where exactly you feel it. Here’s a practical guide to managing hip pain at home and knowing when you need more advanced help.
Figure Out Where the Pain Is Coming From
Hip pain isn’t one-size-fits-all, and the location of your pain tells you a lot about what’s going on. Pain deep in the groin or front of the hip often points to a joint problem, like osteoarthritis or a labral tear. Pain on the outer side of the hip, especially when you press on the bony prominence, is more likely greater trochanteric pain syndrome (formerly called bursitis). Pain that radiates down the back of your thigh may not be a hip problem at all, but referred pain from the lower back.
Osteoarthritis is the most common cause in adults over 50. It develops gradually, gets worse with prolonged sitting or walking, and tends to limit how far you can rotate or flex the hip. Greater trochanteric pain syndrome is especially common in middle-aged women and people who are overweight. The hallmark is pain when lying on the affected side at night and tenderness when you press the outer hip. Labral tears tend to show up in younger, more athletic people, often after a specific injury, and may cause clicking or catching sensations in the joint.
Ice, Heat, and When to Use Each
For a new injury or a sudden flare of hip pain, start with ice. Apply a cold pack wrapped in a thin cloth (never directly on skin) for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. You can make one easily by dampening a towel, folding it into a sealable plastic bag, and freezing it for 15 minutes. Ice works best during the first 48 hours, when the goal is to reduce swelling and numb sharp pain.
After those initial 48 hours, or for chronic hip pain that’s been lingering for weeks, switch to heat. A warm compress or heating pad increases blood flow to stiff muscles and joints, making it easier to move. Keep a layer of fabric between any heating device and your skin to prevent burns. Many people with hip osteoarthritis find that 15 to 20 minutes of heat before activity loosens things up considerably.
Exercises That Actually Help
Strengthening the muscles around the hip is one of the most effective things you can do for lasting relief. Research consistently shows that hip strengthening and hip stretching both reduce pain and improve function in the short term. The key muscle groups to target are the gluteals (the muscles on the back and side of the hip) and the hip flexors (the muscles at the front that lift your knee).
A few exercises worth starting with:
- Clamshells. Lie on your side with knees bent, feet together. Open the top knee like a clamshell while keeping your feet stacked. This targets the gluteus medius, the muscle on the outer hip that stabilizes your pelvis when you walk.
- Bridges. Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat. Push through your heels to lift your hips off the floor. This strengthens the gluteus maximus and takes pressure off the hip joint.
- Hip flexor stretch. Kneel on one knee with the other foot forward. Gently shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch at the front of the kneeling hip. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Side-lying leg raises. Lie on your side with legs straight. Slowly lift the top leg about 12 inches, hold briefly, and lower. This builds lateral hip strength that protects against trochanteric pain.
Start with low repetitions and increase gradually. If an exercise sharpens your pain rather than producing mild muscle fatigue, back off. A physical therapist can tailor a program to your specific diagnosis, which is especially valuable if you’ve had pain for more than a few weeks or if basic exercises aren’t helping.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relief
Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or naproxen are the most common first-line option for hip pain. They reduce both pain and inflammation, which makes them particularly useful for conditions like osteoarthritis and trochanteric pain syndrome. Acetaminophen helps with pain but doesn’t address inflammation.
These medications work well for short-term flares. If you’ve been taking them regularly for a few weeks without meaningful improvement, that’s a signal to see a provider rather than continue self-treating. Long-term NSAID use carries risks for your stomach, kidneys, and cardiovascular system, so the goal is to use them as a bridge while you build strength and address the underlying cause.
How to Sleep With Hip Pain
Nighttime is often the worst part of hip pain, especially if you’re a side sleeper with outer hip tenderness. A few positioning adjustments can make a real difference.
If you sleep on your side, draw your knees up slightly toward your chest and place a firm pillow between your legs. This keeps your spine, pelvis, and hips aligned and prevents the top leg from dropping across your body, which stretches and compresses the outer hip. If your pain is on one side, try sleeping on the opposite side with the pillow in place. If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees to reduce tension on the hip flexors and take pressure off the joint.
Mattress firmness matters too. A surface that’s too soft lets your hips sink in and twist the pelvis; too firm and it puts direct pressure on the bony outer hip. Medium-firm tends to work best for most people with hip pain.
When Injections Make Sense
If physical therapy and medication aren’t enough, joint injections are a common next step. The three main types used for hip osteoarthritis are corticosteroid injections, hyaluronic acid (a gel-like substance that mimics joint fluid), and platelet-rich plasma (PRP, made from your own blood).
A systematic review of 11 randomized trials involving over 1,000 patients found that corticosteroid injections provide the fastest and strongest relief, outperforming other options at the one-month mark. However, that advantage fades. By three to six months, the differences between injection types largely disappear. For longer-lasting effects at six months, PRP ranked first among the options studied. A combination of hyaluronic acid and PRP showed the best results for overall joint function at three months.
Corticosteroid injections are typically covered by insurance and are the most widely available. PRP is often out-of-pocket and more expensive. The choice usually depends on whether you need quick relief for a specific event or are looking for longer-duration improvement.
Daily Habits That Reduce Hip Stress
Small changes throughout the day add up. Avoid sitting in low chairs or deep couches that force your hips into deep flexion. If you sit at a desk, stand and move for a few minutes every 30 to 45 minutes. Use a cushion on hard seats to reduce direct pressure.
Carrying extra body weight significantly increases the load on your hip joints. Every pound of body weight translates to roughly three to six pounds of force across the hip during walking. Even modest weight loss, in the range of 10 to 15 pounds, can noticeably reduce pain for people with osteoarthritis or trochanteric pain syndrome.
Low-impact activities like swimming, cycling, and water aerobics let you stay active without pounding the joint. If walking is your preferred exercise, flat, even surfaces are easier on the hips than hills or uneven terrain. Supportive shoes with good cushioning also help absorb impact that would otherwise travel up to the hip.