Why Does My Hip Hurt When I Sit?

Hip pain that gets worse when you sit is extremely common, especially for people who spend long hours at desks or in cars. While stretching and posture changes can help some people, they often don’t address the real issue. In many cases, sitting-related hip pain is driven by trigger points and protective muscle tension in the glutes and deep hip muscles.

Why Sitting Makes Hip Pain Worse

When you sit for long periods, certain muscles stay partially contracted the entire time. Over time, this can create trigger points—tight, irritable knots in the muscle that refer pain elsewhere.

The most common culprits include:

  • Gluteus medius (side hip pain, pain when standing up)

  • Piriformis & deep rotators (deep hip pain, sciatica-like symptoms)

  • Iliopsoas (front-of-hip pain, stiffness when standing)

  • Quadratus lumborum (QL) (hip + low back crossover pain)

These muscles don’t just get “tight”—they become overprotective.

When you stand up after sitting, they suddenly have to work again…
and that’s when the pain hits.

Why Stretching Often Doesn't Fix Hip Pain

This surprises a lot of people.

If your hip pain is driven by trigger points:

Why?
Because trigger points are neurological + muscular, not just a lack of flexibility.

If a muscle feels tight because it’s guarding, stretching alone doesn’t tell it to relax.

What Actually Helps Hip Pain From Sitting?

Lasting relief from hip pain caused by sitting usually comes from releasing trigger points, calming muscle guarding, and restoring normal movement patterns.

For many people, lasting relief comes from:

  • Identifying the exact muscles causing referred pain

  • Releasing active trigger points

  • Reducing protective muscle guarding

  • Restoring normal movement patterns

This is where targeted trigger point therapy can be extremely effective.

Instead of chasing the pain, we work with the source.

What A Hip-Focused Session Looks Like

A session focused on hip pain from sitting starts with identifying which muscles are actually referring pain, not just where the pain is felt.

A session focused on hip pain typically includes:

  • Careful assessment (where pain starts vs where you feel it)

  • Focused work on glutes, deep rotators, and surrounding muscles

  • Pressure adjusted to your nervous system—not forced

  • Clear communication throughout

This is not a generic massage.
It’s precise, intentional, and client-specific.

How Many Sessions Does Hip Pain Usually Take?

The number of sessions needed depends on how long the pain has been present and how your body responds to targeted release work.

Every body is different, but many clients notice:

  • Some relief after the first session

  • More lasting change after 2–4 sessions

  • Improved sitting tolerance and easier transitions from sitting to standing

We always adjust based on how your body responds.

Common Questions About Hip Pain From Sitting

These are the most common questions people ask when hip pain shows up or worsens after sitting.

Why does my hip hurt more the longer I sit?

When you sit for long periods, certain hip and glute muscles stay partially contracted. Over time, this can create trigger points that cause pain when you stand, walk, or sit again.  If this sounds familiar, booking a session can help identify and release the trigger points driving the pain.

Yes—when the pain is related to muscle tension or trigger points. Targeted massage can help calm overactive muscles and reduce the referred pain that builds up from prolonged sitting. You can schedule a session here.

Stretching can help some people, but if the pain is driven by trigger points or muscle guarding, stretching alone often isn’t enough and can sometimes make symptoms linger.  If sitting pain keeps returning, it’s worth working with a therapist who specializes in hip and glute trigger points.

book your session

When Hip Pain From Sitting Needs Treatment

If your hip pain:

  • Keeps coming back

  • Radiates down the leg

  • Feels worse after sitting

  • Isn’t responding to stretching or exercise

…it’s worth addressing sooner rather than later.

Chronic hip pain often becomes more layered over time, not less.

Book A Hip Pain Relief Session In Brooklyn

If sitting is triggering your hip pain and you want a clear, body-literate approach, I can help.

👉 Book a session and we’ll figure out what’s actually going on—together.

Serving Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, and surrounding Brooklyn neighborhoods.