If you dread getting in your car because the act of driving always leads to hip discomfort, you’re not alone. Countless Americans find that driving leads to the onset or worsening of hip pain, and considering that many of us drive on a daily basis, this means that many people battle hip pain each day. So why does driving exacerbate your hip pain, and what can you do to manage and treat it? In today’s blog, we explore some of the causes and treatment options for hip pain that develops during or after driving.
Causes Of Hip Pain While Driving
A number of different factors can contribute to the onset of hip pain while driving, but some of the most common factors include:
- Poor Posture – Having poor posture or spinal alignment when you’re in a vehicle can put additional stress on your lower back and hips. When forced to be in this position for an extended period, stress can overload the hip area and lead to muscle fatigue and discomfort.
- Muscle Tightening – Sitting in the same position for an extended period can overstress your hip flexor muscles. When they are overstained, they tend to contract and tighten, which can lead to uncomfortable movement and localized pain.
- Neve Compression – Many nerves pass through your lower back and in close quarters to your hip joint, and if a previous injury or degenerative changes cause the space through which these nerves pass to narrow, the nerves can become irritated and lead to localized or shooting discomfort.
- Arthritic Degeneration – Finally, osteoarthritic degeneration over the course of many years can lead to a loss in protective cartilage in the hip joint. This loss in cartilage can lead to uncomfortable bone on bone contact. Arthritis can make it hard to hold your hip in the same position for an extended period, like what happens when you get behind the wheel.
Treating Hip Pain While Driving
Dr. Botero can perform a hip replacement procedure and restore some normal function in the joint so that driving isn’t such a chore anymore, but there are a number of conservative care options to pursue before talking with your doctor about a joint replacement procedure. That said, if hip pain is severely impacting your quality of life and forcing you to avoid essential activities, hip pain while driving may be just another indication that you should consult with a hip specialist about your best course of treatment.
With that said, some things you can do to prevent and treat hip discomfort when driving include:
- Fix Your Posture – You may be able to relieve some tension on your hip by sitting in a slightly reclined position while driving. Adjusting your seatback to about 105-110 degrees can help to decrease hip tension.
- Fix Your Leg Positioning – Your spine isn’t the only area of your body that needs to be in alignment when driving. You also want your legs to be mostly straightforward and symmetrical. In an automatic transmission, your left leg doesn’t really do much while you’re driving, and if it drifts off to the left a bit while your right leg remains straight to hit the pedals, it can lead to asymmetrical strain on your hips. Try to keep both your legs pointing forward when behind the wheel.
- Stretch – You can help the muscles in your hip prepare for some prolonged stress by stretching before you get in the vehicle. Stretching after you’re done driving can also help to relieve muscle tension.
- Exercise/PT – Finally, you can work to prevent and treat hip pain while driving by targeting your hip through exercise or a physical therapy routine. The stronger your hip and its supporting structures are, the better the area will be able to handle the stress that is put on it while driving. Work to make the area stronger, and the stress of driving will have less of an impact on your hip.
We’re happy to help if you need more hands-on care for your hip discomfort, but hopefully these tips can make driving a little less uncomfortable for your hip. For more information, or for help with a different hip issue, give Dr. Botero and his team a call today at (865) 558-4444.
