Hip Pain At Night? Try This Tonight

If you’re waking up with hip pain, the way you’re sleeping is probably making it worse, and the fix is likely simpler than you think. But first you need to understand what your hip actually dislikes, because once you get that, everything else makes sense. Your hip struggles with three things: adduction (the leg crossing towards the middle of the body), internal rotation (the leg rolling inward), and end range flexion (the hip bent up too far towards the chest). Each of these aggravates an irritated hip on its own. The problem is that when you lie on your side, your hip naturally drops into all three at once — and stays there for hours. Most people with hip pain instinctively roll onto the good side to avoid lying on the bad hip, which is the right idea. But without support, the painful top leg drops forward and down into adduction and internal rotation, closing the joint all night. That’s why you can go to bed thinking you’re doing the right thing and still wake up worse. In this video I explain the simple fix; a pillow between the knees, and exactly how to do it properly. Running it up the full length of the thigh so the whole leg is supported, keeping the top knee level with the hip rather than pulled up too high. I also cover why a thin pillow won’t cut it, and what to do if you prefer sleeping on your back. It’s a small change that often makes a difference on the very first night. If you found this helpful, give it a like and check out my other videos on managing hip pain below. Drop a comment if you’ve tried the pillow trick — I’d love to know if it helps. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Book a Free Discovery Call: https://sharpphysiotherapy.co.uk/free... Find Your Nearest Clinic: Doncaster | Lincoln | Newark Welcome to Sharp Physiotherapy, we specialise in keeping people active, pain-free, and away from medication. This video is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice. If you're dealing with pain, book a free call with our team to find out what’s going on. Check out our website at...https://www.sharpphysiotherapy.co.uk Follow Our Socials... Instagram:   / sharp_physio   TikTok:   / sharp_physiotherapy   Facebook:   / jsphysio1   © Sharp Physiotherapy {{2025}}. All rights reserved. 0:00 - Intro 0:15 - The 3 positions that aggravate a painful hip 0:27 - Hip adduction explained 0:37 - Hip internal rotation explained 0:47 - End range hip flexion explained 0:59 - Why side sleeping is problematic for hip pain 1:20 - The mistake most people make (sleeping on the good side) 1:47 - The simple fix: pillow between your knees 2:24 - Choosing the right pillow thickness 2:45 - Correct knee height to avoid flexion issues 3:00 - Back sleeping as an alternative 3:08 - How to optimise back sleeping with a pillow 3:31 - Quick summary of the full technique