Hip Pain is no joke. It is relatively difficult to diagnose because it has so many potential causes. This means that it is also difficult to cure. And unfortunately, hip pain can ruin your entire day, not to mention your night.
If the pain is so great that your hip cannot even support your weight, you will find it rather difficult to do everything from working to showering. If the pain is truly intense, it can keep you awake at night, making a bad situation worse by wearing your body down with exhaustion.
This is where the best pillows for hip pain become relevant. A good hip pain pillow will give you the comfort you need to drift off at night. It does this by aligning the spine and taking the pressure off the hip.
It also optimizes your sleeping posture. This will relax your body, alleviating the pain and allowing you to fall asleep. But it doesn’t stop there. A good hip pain pillow will also combat the causes of the hip pain, permitting your body to heal from injury and even encouraging swellings and inflammation to subside.
If you are in desperate need of a pillow to give you relief from hip pain, try the products below. These are the best pillows for hip pain we could find. Our reviews are designed to give you all the information you need to make an educated selection.
But if you don’t have the time, you can just use the comparison table.
Best pillows for hip pain reviews
1. ComfiLife Orthopedic Knee Pillow
This ergonomically designed pillow was made with patients of sciatica, back pain, and hip pain in mind. If you place it between your knees, it will provide maximum support, alleviating the pressure on your lower back and providing some relief from sciatica.
Don’t expect it to cure all your symptoms overnight. Additionally, there are illnesses against which it won’t work. To determine whether or not this product is for you, it is imperative that you sleep on it for a few nights. Your body needs time to adjust to the pillow.
The material is high-density memory foam that is capable of providing several hours of comfort. Like the best memory foam, this one won’t go flat. The ergonomic build allows the item to contour to the shape of your body, keeping your hip, spine, and legs properly aligned.
This doesn’t just enhance your sleep. It also improves circulation. The breathable cover has a zipper that allows you to remove it. It is machine washable. If it fails to satisfy your needs, the pillow comes with a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee that compels the company to give you a full refund.
Pros
1). Premium High-Density Memory Foam
2). Breathable and machine washable cover
3). Improves circulation
Cons
1). It takes time to adjust to the pillow
2. Cushy Form Knee Pillow for Side Sleepers
As the name suggests, this pillow was designed with side sleepers in mind. Boasting a soft, washable cover, the therapeutic item will elevate your upper knee, correcting your sleeping position and banishing restless nights.
People use it to combat everything from back pain and leg pain to knee, ankle, and hip pain. Once placed between your knees, it will align your spin and reduce the pressure exerted on sensitive parts of your body.
Pregnant women can use it as a spacer. The same goes for customers that are recovering from surgery. Besides improving your circulation, it also comes with a free storage and travel bag.
The contoured superior memory foam will adjust in reaction to the temperature. That is to say, it will feel softer when temperatures rise and firmer in the presence of cold conditions. It will also respond to your body heat, becoming either softer or firmer depending on what you need.
Doctors from various fields have taken to recommending it to their patients because the 100 percent Visco-elastic memory foam from which it is made has a reputation for relieving scoliosis and hip bursitis. The cover is removable and machine washable.
Larger, heavier customers have complained that the pillow did not fit their thighs. It did not create enough space between their legs. Keep that in mind. If the pillow fails to deliver on any of its promises, you can always utilize the 100 percent money-back guarantee to recoup your investment.
Pros
1). 100 percent visco-elastic memory foam
2). 100 percent money-back guarantee
3). Removable, machine washable cover
4). The pillow reacts to your body heat
Cons
1). Only compatible with side sleepers
2). Not as comfortable for larger, heavier customers.
3. Ebung Leg Elevation Pillow
If you want a pillow that can relieve swelling, reduce edema, and align your spine whilst also supporting your muscles as you sleep, this pillow has all the answers you desire.
As its name suggests, it is supposed to elevate your legs, fitting into the natural curves of your lower body and taking the excess pressure off your hips and knees. If you just want an object to rest your legs against while you sleep, the pillow has you covered.
The material from which it is made is a high-density foam that is sturdy enough to retain its shape in the face of extensive use. In other words, it is unlikely to go flat. Some people might not approve of how hard the pillow is, but the firm build is necessary to provide the support your body needs. The fact that it embraces your natural contours means that it can be trusted to provide customized support to your body for years to come.
While it is compatible with the bedroom, you can use it in any setting suits you. That includes the floor. At 4.6 pounds, the item is pretty light, so you shouldn’t have a problem carrying it from location to location. Women that are pregnant or who have given birth can use it to settle into more comfortable positions. They can use it to reduce the swelling in their knees.
The cover is removable, machine washable ad hypoallergenic. It is soft, breathable, and dust-proof, though it is a lint magnet. You don’t have to worry about the fabric becoming too warm while you sleep.
Pros
1). Hypoallergenic
2). Removable, machine washable cover
3). The memory foam is dense and sturdy. It doesn’t go flat.
4). Breathable
Cons
1). Too hard and too high for some customers.
2). The cover attracts lint
4. Contour Legacy Leg and Knee Memory Foam Support Pillow
This orthopedic pillow is supposed to alleviate back, hip, leg, and knee pain. It can also reduce sciatica nerve discomfort. It does this by sliding in between your knees and adjusting your sleeping posture.
The way some side sleepers position themselves at night is not healthy. Their legs lie in a manner that puts pressure on the back; their hip joints also twist, causing pain. This pillow supports the legs and knees by relieving the pressure the body exerts on sensitive areas.
While some companies are just starting to invest in knee and leg pillows, this particular brand has been around since the early 1990s. The manufacturer behind the pillow popularized the hourglass shape that other pillow companies now copy.
Their pillow was initially designed to support just the legs. But this one works on both the legs and knees. This allows the product to keep the entire body sufficiently aligned, banishing the pain that is associated with poor sleeping posture.
The memory foam from which the item is made is ventilated, allowing air to circulate through it to reach the sleeper. The air holes in its construction prevent heat from accumulating in the foam. This temperature regulating feature also pulls the heat away from your body, creating a cooler sleeping environment.
The soft curves and crescent shape of the pillow are not merely attractive; they allow the bedding item to fit the bodies of both men and women and to stay in place without the use of straps. The pillow weighs just 7 ounces which makes it quite easy to transport.
The one complaint that multiple customers have raised is concerned with the pillow’s price tag which is quite high considering its small size.
Pros
1). Temperature regulating
2). Eliminates painful pressure points
3). Lightweight
Cons
1). Pricey
5. Back Support Systems Knee-T Leg Pillow
You can get this pillow in long, standard, plus, and pro sizes. The ergonomic design allows it to fit comfortably between your knees, providing maximum support and relieving sciatica pain and lower backpressure. Side sleepers will appreciate its ability to relieve back pain, sciatica, arthritis, and the like.
The material is medical grade foam which is long-lasting. It does not go flat, not like other pillows within its price range. The foam is supposed to keep your legs in a neutral position, not to mention aligning your hips and spine, and improving circulation.
The manufacturer can confidently encourage customers with physical ailments to use their pillow because the product has the endorsement of over a thousand physicians.
The multiple size options are encouraging. The manufacturer encourages customers to match the sizes on offer to their height and weight. They have provided a chart that you can use to ensure that you only purchase pillows in the most appropriate sizes for your situation.
The ‘Pro’ size, for instance, is suitable for customers with wider hips or anyone that is recovering from hip replacement surgery. The only way this pillow can fail to satisfy your needs is if you get it in a size that is either too small or too big.
In such cases, you can just take advantage of the 100 percent money-back guarantee.
The pillow comes with a bamboo cover that can be removed and washed. The foam is Certi-Pur Certified, proving that it is environmentally friendly.
The pillow has a strap to keep it in place. But it uses cheap elastic. As such, the pillow won’t stay in place if you do a lot of tossing and turning.
Pros
1). Multiple size options
2) Long-lasting medical-grade foam
3). Certi-Pur Certified
4). 100 percent satisfaction guarantee
Cons
1). Strap is insufficient
Back Pain Relief Memory Foam Pillow
Chiropractors and physical therapists recommend this pillow because it is made from 100 percent premium quality Visco-elastic memory foam. The material is not only hypoallergenic but it is versatile enough to support a number of areas on your body, including the ankles, hips, lower back, and knees.
It is better than many of the pillows in its range because it works for back, side, and stomach sleepers. You can rely on it to keep you comfortable if you are recovering from surgery. The same goes for pregnant women.
When positioned appropriately, it will relax the body whilst also aligning the hips and spine. This will make your sleep comfortable and more restful. It will relieve sciatic nerve pain.
Because this is a half-moon bolster pillow, you can do a lot with it. You can place in between your legs or under your knees. You can also use it for lumbar support on your couch. It can improve circulation and reduce varicose veins. You can even keep it in your car. It will provide lumbar support while you drive.
It has a breathable, removable, machine washable cover. The manufacturer provides a 100 percent lifetime money-back guarantee.
Because of the way it is packaged, the pillow needs a few hours to inflate.
Pros
1). 100 percent visco-elastic memory foam
2). Breathable and hypoallergenic
3). Compatible with back, side, and stomach sleepers
4). 100 percent lifetime money-back guarantee
Cons
1). The pillow is usable on arrival. It needs a few hours to inflate.
Why Hip Pain?
The hip is part of a joint. If you look at the top of the thigh bone, you will notice that it looks like a ball. That ball sits in a socket found in the pelvis. The hip joint is covered by muscle and secured in place by tendons.
Along with the synovium and cartilage, the hip has a relatively complex system that can assault you with pain if any of its components fail to work as required. Hip pain is fairly common, affecting both the young and the elderly, and it has a multitude of causes, including:
1). Injury
This is one of the more obvious causes of hip pain. A fall or collision can strain or even tear the tendons and muscles in your hip. Whether the damage is temporary or long-lasting, you can expect to feel quite a bit of pain.
2). Arthritis
This is another common cause of hip pain. Typically found in older patients, arthritis causes inflammation in the hip joint. It can also cause the cartilage to breakdown. This will impede your movement, not to mention producing pain.
3). Bursitis
Bursae (sacs between tissues that ease friction) can become inflamed as a result of repetitive activities that irritate the hip joint. This inflammation will cause pain.
4). Tendinitis
The tendons are a crucial aspect of your hip because they keep the bones and muscles attached. If the tendons become irritated or inflamed as a result of repetitive strain, you will feel pain.
5). Strain
Certain activities, especially the kind you perform repeatedly, can strain the ligaments, muscles, and tendons. This overuse will cause inflammation, inhibiting your movement, and causing pain.
6). Cancer
Some tumors form in the bone, causing pain as they spread throughout the body.
7). Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is common among people that play high-impact sports. It causes swelling in the joints as a result of inflammation and the wear and tear of the cartilage. The result is stiffness and dull pain.
8). Hip Labral Tear
The labrum is a ring of cartilage outside the rim of the hip joint’s socket. It tends to rip in athletes that perform repetitive twisting movements. As you might expect, such tears cause pain.
How Can You Alleviate Hip Pain?
The approach you take to alleviating hip pain will involve one or more of the following steps:
1). Rest
Whether your hip pain is the result of an injury or an illness, you need to sit down and rest. To be more specific, you need to take the weight off your hip. Do not apply pressure to it by either bending the hip or lying on it.
2). Take Consultation From the physician
There are plenty of over-the-counter drugs that you can use to relieve the pain during moments like this, with the most prominent being ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin, and Naproxen, to mention but a few. The intensity of your pain will determine the type of painkiller you use.
Depending on your illness, if you visit a doctor, he might recommend anti-inflammatory drugs like corticosteroids. You also have medications like methotrexate that target the immune system.
3). Cold packs
This is a very effective approach for reducing the swelling in your hip, assuming that it is the cause of your pain. Apply a cold pack to the hip for 15 to 20 minutes each day. If cold packs are not working, heating the affected area might do the trick.
4). Exercise
While rest can bring relief, it also helps to exercise. Prioritize stretching activities and resistance training. If you want simple, straightforward solutions, try walking, yoga, and swimming. When your exercises end, you are encouraged to take a warm bath. This will allow your muscles to stretch.
5). Weight Loss
One way of relaxing the stress applied to your hip is to lose weight. This will reduce the amount of pressure you exert on it whenever you walk.
6). Surgery
Some conditions can only be fixed with surgery, for instance:
a). Osteomyelitis – This is where you have a dead bone. It must be surgically removed and replaced.
b). Septic Arthritis – This condition requires invasive procedures that will repair, replace, or fuse joints.
c). Inguinal Hernia – Here, you have intestinal tissue that has to be forced back into the abdomen.
d). Hip Labral Tear – The labrum must be repaired using soft tissue that doctors grafted from another part of your body
e). Break – When your bones break in the hip area, surgery is required to stabilize and pin them together.
7). Crutches
If you have a condition that causes hip pain whenever you move, you can use a crutch or cane to alleviate the discomfort.
8). Acupuncture
This is an Asian practice that uses tiny needles to bring about pain relief. There are a lot of questions surrounding its efficacy.
What Should You Not Do While You Have Hip Pain?
When you have hip pain, you should avoid activities that require you to bend. Naturally, you should also avoid anything that exerts pressure on the hip. That includes:
1). Sleep – Do not sleep on the side with the aching hip.
2). Sitting – Do not sit for long periods.
3). Exercise – Avoid exercises that force your hip to bear a lot of your weight. That includes running, cardio that requires weight-bearing, treadmills, and cycling.
4). Standing – If you must stand, you are discouraged from allowing the affected hip to carry too much weight. Get a cane where possible.
How a Pillow Can Help You Alleviate Hip Pain
Hip pain pillows might look like ordinary pillows (in some cases) but they do so much to alleviate hip pain, including:
1). Reducing Pressure on the Hip
This is one of the more prominent benefits of hip pain pillows. They reduce the pressure that side sleeping normally exerts on your hips. Depending on how you use your pillow, it will keep your sleeping posture from rotating and pulling the spine out of alignment. This will reduce the stress on the hip.
2). Improving blood circulation
If you are sleeping with a hip pain pillow between or beneath your legs, it will improve circulation by facilitating the follow of blood through the vein that runs to the heart and back.
3). Creating alignment
A hip pain pillow will align the knees on top of one another. It will also align the hip and pelvic area. All this works to reduce the stress on the hips.
4). Alleviating Lower back Pain
The best hip pain pillows have been known to reduce the swelling in the lower back by alleviating the pressure exerted on that section of your body. This will allow you to sleep more peacefully.
How Should I Sleep to Avoid Hip Pain?
If you have pain in your hip, a poor sleeping posture can make it infinitely worse. This is why you are encouraged to select your sleeping posture carefully:
1). Side
Even though it sounds counterintuitive, side sleeping is good for hip pain but only if you remember to sleep on your good hip. Sleeping on your bad hip will exacerbate your situation.
But if you sleep on your healthy side, the posture will promote proper spinal alignment. This will reduce the amount of pressure being exerted on your hip, neck, and back.
If you can’t get comfortable in this posture, try curling into a fetal position. Keep a pillow between your legs.
2). Back
This posture is also appropriate for your hips because it keeps your weight evenly distributed. Some people hate sleeping on their backs because it creates tension in the lower back but a small pillow placed in this area will solve this issue.
3). Stomach
This is the worst way to sleep if you have hip pain. The posture puts too much pressure on the front of your hips. It also strains the back by forcing the spine to curve unnaturally. Avoid the position at all costs if you have hip pain.
Where Do You Put a Pillow for Hip Pain?
The way you position the pillow will depend on the type of pillow, for instance:
1). Body
Body pillows are quite long. As such, you can keep them between your knees while cuddling them. You can place them along the headboard to support your head or neck. You can also position them under your knees. They can do everything.
2). Wedge
Wedge pillows have a triangular shape. This allows you to use them to prop up your upper body. You can also elevate your legs and feet. Pregnant women use them to prop up the belly.
3). Bolster
Bolster pillows provide neck and leg support. You can place them under your head or neck to achieve this purpose. You can also position them between your knees to align the spine. They are suitable for both side and back sleepers.
4). Standard
Standard pillows can technically do everything, regardless of whether they are triangular or square. They can fit them between your legs, under your legs, beneath your back, and your head. The key is to get them in the right firmness and loft.
Others Factors to Consider
Does Walking Help Hip Pain?
Walking is good for hip pain because it is a low-impact activity that will work your body without exerting undue stress on your aching hip.
How Long Should I Sit to Relieve Hip Pain?
It depends on the person. Remain seated until the pain either disappears or reduces.
Can Sciatica Cause Hip Pain?
Yes. Sciatica normally begins with back pain that eventually travels down to the lower extremities.