Why does my hip hurt when I sleep on my side?

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Hip pain when lying on your side is one of the most specific pain patterns there is, and it usually points to the outer-hip structures: the trochanteric bursa - the fluid cushion over the bony point of the hip - and the gluteal tendons attached right there. AAOS describes trochanteric bursitis as pain on the outer hip and thigh, worst when lying on the affected side, with stairs, and after long sitting. Body weight pressing the bursa and tendons into the mattress all night does the rest. It is common in runners, people with back problems, leg-length differences, and women between 40 and 60.

The fixes that work: sleep on the other side or your back with a pillow between the knees - it keeps the top leg from dragging the hip inward; cushion a firm mattress with a topper; and strengthen the hip stabilizers - side-lying leg lifts and bridges are the classic physio moves, since weak glutes are the root cause more often than the bursa itself. Anti-inflammatories help flares.

When to get it looked at: pain persisting past a few weeks despite these changes, pain with a fever or a hot swollen joint, inability to bear weight, or pain after a fall - those suggest something beyond bursitis, from tendon tears to hip joint problems, and deserve an exam.

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Why does my hip hurt when I sleep on my side?

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