Hip & Knee Pain During/After Sleeping? Here’s How To Fix That

Dr. Alyssa Kuhn, arthritis expert, shows the best sleep positions for alleviating/avoiding different pains:

Sleep position matters

Finding a comfortable sleeping position can be difficult, and stiff joints have a mutually-worsening effect (i.e., the stiff joints make sleeping more difficult, and difficulty sleeping makes the joints stiffer).

So, with that in min:

• How to sleep on your side: this position can relieve hip, knee, back, and shoulder pain, but letting your top leg drape down twists your back and strains your hips. Place a pillow between your knees to keep them aligned and prevent pressure. That part may be obvious, but there’s a counterpart: if doing this, it’s often critical to place another pillow under your top arm—or use a body pillow—to keep your shoulders and neck in a neutral position.
• How to reduce hip pressure: if your bottom hip hurts, try a thin blanket under your side to shift your weight slightly backwards, or rotate slightly forwards with your bottom leg straight while hugging a body pillow to offload that hip.
• How to sleep on your back: if side sleeping is uncomfortable, lying on your back with a pillow or half roll under your knees can reduce lower back arching and relax your hips and spine. If lying flat feels too harsh, use one or two extra pillows to recline slightly. Only do this if the other methods don’t work though, as back-sleeping is usually not ideal for most people.

On choosing a pillow for use in these methods: avoid ones that are too flat or slip out of place, as this ruins alignment. A strapped pillow can stay secure, making it easier to roll over without twisting your hips.

Lastly: experiment with these setups for a few nights and make small adjustments as needed. If pain or stiffness continues, look at lifestyle factors such as daily movement, hydration, and nutrition, since these also affect sleep quality and joint comfort.

For more on all of this plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like:

Sleeping Positions & Your Heart & Brain ← on why back-sleeping is not ideal, if it can be reasonably avoided

Take care!