Do you feel pain in your groin, thigh, or buttocks? Does lying on your back make you feel uncomfortable in the pelvic area? If so, you may be suffering from hip pain.
Hip pain may be a symptom of a serious form of illness such as hip fracture, sciatica (numbness from the lower back to the buttocks), arthritis, tendinitis (swelling or irritation of tendons), and even bone cancer. Pregnancy and incorrect sleeping position may also strain the hips.
Doctors may recommend surgery, painkillers, stretching, or using pillows to take the pressure off your hip area when you sleep. Here are our top 5 pillows that may help you with your hip pain problems.
One of the most common pillow shapes to support people with hip problems is a knee pillow. ComfiLife’s orthopedic pillow has an ergonomic shape designed to fit comfortably between your knees.
This design is great for aligning your spine, hip, and legs when you sleep on your side - alleviating hip pains. It features a 100% cut memory foam filling, which makes it soft yet supportive to properly align your spine to your pelvis.
This particular leg rest pillow is not triangular as it has a flat top for the legs to remain straight and elevated at 8 inches. This can distribute the force of gravity from your pelvis to your leg area instead, thus alleviating hip pain.
This Cushy Form leg rest pillow also features a 1-inch memory foam at the top and a 7-inch polyurethane base. The memory foam can contour to the shape of your legs well, while the stiff polyurethane base can keep your legs elevated all through the night.
Everlasting Comfort boasts using 100% premium quality, supportive memory foam in their pillows. This knee pillow is contoured to keep your legs in place with an additional support - an adjustable and removable strap, which is excellent for people who move a lot when sleeping.
The orthopedic contour of the pillow can align the spine, hips, and legs, which is great if you suffer from pelvic and lower back pains.
This half-moon bolster knee pillow has the same functions as a wedge pillow but made more compact like a leg wedge pillow. This dome-shaped pillow supports back, side, and even stomach sleepers.
Its dome shape almost mimics rolling a towel under your knees - something that doctors also advise for hip pain sufferers. It also features two-layer hypoallergenic memory foam and an organic cotton cover - which can be particularly important if you suffer from sensitive skin.
The Wayanna Collection wide knee pillow is a unique contoured orthopedic memory foam knee pillow that can fit all sizes. Therefore, its shape is not restricting. It can support side sleepers but also back sleepers. On your side, you simply tuck it in between your knees.
On your back, you can use it like a half-moon wedge pillow or tuck under one knee. Since hip pain can be aggravated when sleeping in one position, a versatile pillow can help with this.
This wide knee pillow is made from 100% memory foam, so it provides malleable and consistent support. It features a quilted cover that is machine-washable, so it is breathable and hygienic. It also comes in a clear travel bag, so you do not have to worry about your hip problems when traveling.
And the winner is … the Wayanna Collection’s Wide Knee Pillow. Compared to the other pillows, its shape is not restricting and it can accommodate fuller-figured people. Also, since it is more open, it feels breathable and comfortable, especially in the thigh area. Like the other pillows that use memory foam, it can hold its shape well. Moreover, the memory foam filling can absorb pressure well, so it aligns the spine, pelvis, and buttocks well.
The pelvic area contains one of the most used joints in the body; the hip joint. You might think that the constant friction would make your hip joint used to it, but in fact, your hip joint is subject to wear and tear.
If your hip joint is inflammed, you might be suffering from arthritis, one of the most common reasons for hip pain. As you age, your bones become weak and subject you to hip fractures as well.
Bursitis and tendinitis are also common causes of hip pain. Bursitis is inflammation caused by a liquid that has developed between tissues such as your bones, tendons, or muscles. Tendinitis is also caused by inflammation or irritation of the tendons.
All of these conditions are aggravated by bad posture when you stand or sit down. Whenever possible, maintain good posture or use support pillows to maintain good posture.
Is the shape comfortable?
A body pillow can cradle your entire body including your back, neck, head, arms, and knees. As a result, your weight is equally distributed. This can relieve pressure all over your body. In particular, the way a body pillow encourages you to tuck it in between your knees, which is helpful for adjusting your spine and limbs - good for people suffering from sciatica, hip pain, back pain, snoring, and even pregnancy pain.
Elevating the knees is highly encouraged when treating hip pain. You can use a wedge pillow to keep your knees inclined while you sleep. A wedge pillow can keep your pelvis aligned, relieving stress on your hips, joints, and even knees. This shape can also relieve stress on your lower back - something a lot of people with hip problems suffer from.
A leg wedge pillow is one of the most popular pillow shapes to relieve hip pain. This can align and support your pelvis and spine whilst you sleep. As such, it can ease not only hip pain but also back pain and leg muscle cramps. This pillow is ideal for side sleepers. Some types of leg wedge pillows have a strap so that you do not lose the pillow while asleep.
You can also consider getting a half-moon pillow to elevate your leg as you sleep. This is ideal for back sleepers, but it can also support side sleepers. It has the same functions as a wedge pillow. The only difference is their shapes.
Does it support the way you sleep?
If you are suffering from hip pain, the ideal way to sleep is to offload your weight where it hurts. It is usually recommended to elevate your legs so that the heavy weight of your back can be distributed to your leg region. When buying a pillow, always consider a shape that supports the way you sleep.
Is it breathable and hypoallergenic?
A good night’s sleep is characterized by a cool temperature and a lack of itching and scratching. For your pillow to feel comfortable all through the night, it must be able to circulate air and be clean.
The Wayanna Collection’s Wide Knee Pillow is a good option because it can support side and back sleepers. It can also properly align your spine and pelvis, thus easing hip pain whilst you sleep. The memory foam filling also absorbs pressure well. Even though memory foam absorbs heat, the quilted cover compensates for air circulation, ensuring you have a comfortable night’s sleep.