Hips so painful I cried at work

[WhoWants2Know]

As soon as the weather turned even a bit colder, suddenly my hips are unbearable. I feel ok when I stand and move around, but lying down isn't great and sitting brings me to tears.

I feel it in my groin constantly, like a hot tight feeling that won't go. It feels like I need to stretch or pop something but I can't manage, no matter how I bend.

My drive to work takes more than an hour and then I sit for 7 hours at a desk, and I'm just not coping. I feel like I could manage if there were a standing desk to use at intervals, but it's not likely.

Has anyone else had a similar problem and how did you cope?

I need to move around else I completely seize up. Work were happy to get a sit/stand desk for my home office, so I sit on a rocking kneeler chair, and stand on a wobble board (so I don't lock my hips). You can get standing desk adapters quite cheaply, so talk to your manager about your desk not working for you and causing pain.
Is the pain in your hips or do you think its the muscles around them? I got a theragun massage thing and it is amazing at releasing tight muscles

Yoga. I have to keep my muscles warm and mobile or I have all manner of pain.

I'd go and see a physio, they'll get you loosened up and give you correct excercises to do at home.

I have hip dysplasia and am horrifically overdue a hip reconstruction. It's definitely worse In the cold, damp weather. Also we almost had to get rid of a sofa a couple of years ago as it got so bad one winter I couldn't sit on it at all- it was due to me helping out in family shop and standing in the cold for many hours. I took to wearing hot water bottles on my back throughout the day. I now have an electric blanket for the cold nights.

If you use a computer screen for more than an hour at a time in your working day the employer has to do a work station assessment. As your in pain they need to make adjustments, legally. How big is your employer, do you have occupation health?
I would also suggest seeing your GP and an Osteopath if you can afford it, even for 2 sessions should help as they can give you exercises to do and may be able to diagnose the problem.

My hips used to kill me, couldn't even sleep properly or watch TV. Something else came up and GP sent me for some bloods which proved my Vit D was so low i had to have an immediate injection at the hospital before taking high strength tablets for 3 months. My hip pain improved dramatically. I still have to top up my Vit D every now and then and thehip/general pain is my clue I need to start it again.

Try Better You 3000 Vit D with K2 spray from Boots, Holland n Barrett, Superdrug etc

What exercises do you do? I get very stiff painful hips and knees, the only thing that helps is regular low impact exercises like swimming or walking. Building up the muscles really does help but it takes a while to take effect. In the meantime, hot baths, heat pads, ibuprofen (as long as it's not contraindicated by other meds or conditions) and regular standing up for stretching/moving around to keep limber.

I can't quite tell if the pain is muscular or in the bones of my hips. I feel it in both hips, mostly in my groin where the bone meets the socket. It's almost like something needs to pop if I could just stretch the right way, but no movement fixes it.

I do yoga and walk a lot, although that's harder in the winter months.

The vitamin D is a really good point. I know I've had blood tests show a deficiency in the past, and I ran out of supplements a couple of months ago.

We're a fairly big company, but spread out. I'm sure there are occupational health people somewhere. Initially my manager's response didn't seem encouraging to involve them, but I think she didn't realise how bad it was until I was was upset.

Thanks for all your ideas. Just having some things to try makes me feel a bit better about things.

Since your pain is so bad try a high dose for a month first before going back to normal. Most normal is set at 1000 but you can go up to 5000 for a short time, I've gone for the middle dose as it has K2 added in which is needed apparently. I also read somewhere that to fully absorb Vit D you need to take magnesium supplement with it...which reminds me to buy some

Good luck, I know how debilitating painful hips can be.

Could it be hip flexor tendonitis? I had this earlier this year, I genuinely thought my hip was crumbling away in the bones it was so painful and felt like bone IYSWIM. Aggravated by lots of sitting for work, and running with one leg longer than the other (cannot change this unfortunately!)

Some very simple exercises prescribed by a private sports therapist (best £50 ever spent) and it is much much better.

What kind of exercises were they?

Yoga. And sit cross legged on your chair at work. The hip joint needs to move

Have you been to an osteopath?

I've never been to an osteopath. But I do sit cross legged in my chair at work when I can. That position feels more comfortable than a 90 degree angle with my feet on the floor. I'm definitely adding some supplements and I might see if sitting on a wobble cushion helps keep things moving and loose

@thenewaveragebear1983 I also have leg length discrepancies. It caused me a huge amount of pain and problems 15 years ago. Since then Ive worn a raised insole in one shoe and it works quite well, shoes in house at all times. If I walk barefoot or in flip flops for more than a day it comes right back.
I do have arthritis both RA ans OA so I understand the OPs pain. My joints seem to take turns..

Go see an osteopath.

Go to the doctor you may need a hip replacement
I cant understand why people ask for medical advice on a forum!

A cheap easy thing for you to try is sitting on a big inflatable exercise ball at work instead of a chair.

Warmth def helps with hip pain, I had a hip replacement at at 34. Heat pads, hot water bottles and a nightly hot bath help. Generally if the pain is in the back of the joint its muscular but if its in the front then it's skeletal.

Also try physio maybe

I tolerated v painful hips for years and went to the physio and it was the way I was walking plus having an office job being sat down all day. He gave me exercises and orthotics and it made a massive difference v quickly!

I found this thread to be really interesting as a fellow sufferer of pain in the hips and in my left knee. I have previously been low on Vit D but I have arthritis in my left hip.
I think keeping mobile is the most important thing and drinking plenty of water and eating as healthily as possible are important all of which I do try to do.
Thanks !

I haven't read through so I don't know if you've been advised this, but have you tried Vitamin D? Bad knees run in my family and I started having them too a few years back. I was advised to take vitamin d, I got it in Lidl for under a pound and honestly I was shocked at the difference. I used to have bad pain when I squat down for something or walking up stairs, and I'm only 31 so was worried it would only get worse. After about a week I noticed a difference and no pain since. Hope this helps!

Just read about vitamin D from another poster, definitely worth a try honestly it worked for me!

I know someone who needed 2x hip replacements and the symptoms you describe as v painful in the groin was what they had.

Have you had it fully checked out ? MRI etc ?

Well obviously I'm going to have to go to a doctor.

Realistically that's going to take god knows how many days of ringing at 8am before I'm lucky enough to get a phone appointment, after which there will be another wait to be examined and more waiting to have any tests that are needed.

In the meantime I still have to deal with 8 hours working at a computer and 2 hours driving every day. That's why I'm asking for advice on an Internet forum.