Hip pain while sleeping is often caused by sleeping position, bursitis, arthritis, or a poor mattress. Try a pillow between your knees and see a doctor if it persists.
Common causes
- Sleeping on your side without support.
- Trochanteric bursitis.
- Arthritis.
- Tendinitis.
- Sciatica.
- An old mattress.
What helps
- Place a pillow between your knees.
- Use a medium firm mattress.
- Gentle stretching.
- Heat or ice.
See a doctor
If pain lasts weeks, or comes with fever, weakness or night pain when still.
Joint and bursa causes
- Trochanteric bursitis (greater trochanteric pain syndrome), pain on the outer hip when lying on the side, common in women over 40.
- Hip osteoarthritis, causing groin or deep hip pain, worse at night and morning stiffness.
- Labral tears or femoroacetabular impingement.
- Tendinopathy of the gluteal muscles.
Nerve related causes
Sciatica and lumbar spine problems may refer pain into the hip and buttock. Meralgia paresthetica causes burning on the outer thigh.
Sleeping position
Sleeping on one side puts weight on the hip, and poor mattress support or a body that is not aligned strains the joint.
Other causes
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction.
- Pregnancy, where hormones and weight affect pelvic joints.
- Rheumatoid arthritis or other inflammatory arthritis.
- Stress fractures or avascular necrosis (rare).
What helps
- Place a pillow between the knees when sleeping on your side, or under the knees on your back.
- Use a medium firm mattress or a topper.
- Gentle stretching of the hip flexors and piriformis.
- Strengthen hip and core muscles with physical therapy.
- Over the counter NSAIDs if safe.
- Warm or cold packs.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
See a doctor if
Pain wakes you regularly, lasts beyond 2 weeks, follows a fall, or comes with fever, swelling, numbness, weakness or inability to bear weight. Sudden severe pain after a fall in an older adult may signal a hip fracture and is an emergency.
Common hip causes at night
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome, often called trochanteric bursitis, causes pain on the outer hip that is worse when lying on that side. It affects about 10 to 25 percent of people at some time, and women over 50 are most often affected. Hip osteoarthritis causes groin or thigh pain and stiffness, and sciatica from a pinched nerve in the lower back or piriformis syndrome can cause pain in the buttock and hip. Tendon problems in the gluteal muscles are another common cause.
Sleep position and fixes
Side sleeping puts pressure on the hip, so place a pillow between the knees to keep the pelvis aligned, or sleep on your back with a pillow under the knees. A medium firm mattress with a topper can reduce pressure points. Gentle stretching, heat or ice, over the counter NSAIDs and strengthening the gluteal muscles with a physical therapist’s guidance help. See a doctor if pain follows a fall, hurts at rest all the time, comes with fever, a hip that gives way, trouble bearing weight or numbness and weakness in the leg.
Based on data from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Cleveland Clinic
