Why Does Your Hip Hurt When You Get Out of the Car?
You finish the drive, park the car and reach for the door.
Then comes the awkward part.
You try to turn your body, swing your legs out and stand up.
That’s when your hip hurts.
Perhaps it is a sharp pinch. Maybe it feels stiff for the first few steps. Or perhaps you need to stand still for a moment before your hip feels ready to move.
If hip pain getting out of the car sounds familiar, the movement itself may provide some useful clues.
Getting out of a car combines prolonged sitting with twisting, bending and loading your hip as you stand. If your hip or surrounding muscles are sensitive or stiff, that transition can make symptoms particularly noticeable.
But the painful movement does not necessarily tell you exactly what is wrong.
Why does getting out of a car put your hip through so much?
Getting out of a car sounds simple.
In reality, several movements happen almost at once.
You have been sitting with your hips and knees bent.
Then you rotate your body.
Your legs move towards the door.
You push yourself up.
Your hips then have to accept your body weight as you stand.
If you have been sitting for 30 minutes or several hours, that change from a relatively static position to standing can feel uncomfortable.
Sometimes it is the transition between positions, rather than sitting or standing alone, that exposes the problem.
Why can your hip feel stiff after driving?
Long drives can keep your hip in a relatively fixed position for an extended period.
You are seated.
Your hips remain bent.
One foot may spend much of the journey moving between the pedals.
There is relatively little opportunity to change position.
When you finally get out, your first few steps may feel stiff or uncomfortable.
For some people, the stiffness settles quickly once they start walking.
If this happens regularly, however, it is worth paying attention to the pattern.
Could your driving position be contributing?
Your car setup may influence how comfortable you feel, particularly on longer journeys.
Consider:
- how far your seat is from the pedals
- whether your knees remain significantly higher than your hips
- how much you recline the seat
- whether you regularly lean towards one side
- whether your seat gives you enough room to turn and exit comfortably
There is no universal seat position that works for every person or every vehicle.
The goal is to find a setup that allows you to operate the car comfortably without keeping your body in an unnecessarily awkward position.
Why does one hip hurt more than the other?
This is common enough to be worth considering.
You might drive predominantly with your right leg.
Perhaps you always turn the same way when getting out.
Maybe you lean towards the centre console.
Or you simply have a previous injury or difference in movement between the two sides.
Your body does not have to be perfectly symmetrical.
If one hip consistently hurts while the other feels fine, however, the difference may provide useful information during an assessment.
Is the pain actually coming from your hip?
Not necessarily.
The hip sits close to the lower back, pelvis and upper thigh, and symptoms can sometimes overlap between these areas.
For example, discomfort that you describe as “hip pain” may actually be influenced by your lower back.
Pain can also be felt around the buttock, groin or outer hip depending on the structures involved.
This is why the exact location matters.
What if it hurts when you lift your leg out of the car?
Getting out of a car often requires you to lift and rotate your leg while your body turns.
If this reproduces pain, it is useful to notice exactly where the discomfort occurs and whether the same movement bothers you elsewhere.
For example, does it also hurt when:
- getting out of a chair?
- climbing stairs?
- getting into bed?
- putting on socks?
- getting out of the bath?
- lifting your knee towards your chest?
The more situations that reproduce the same symptom, the more useful the pattern can be when determining what may be contributing.
Can a chiropractor help with hip pain?
Depending on the cause, chiropractic care may be appropriate for some types of musculoskeletal hip and lower-limb pain.
An assessment may consider your hip movement, lower back, pelvis, strength, previous injuries, activity levels and the movements that reproduce your symptoms.
Management may include hands-on care, exercises, movement advice or modifications to activities, depending on your individual presentation.
If your symptoms suggest another type of healthcare assessment is more appropriate, referral may be recommended.
FAQ
Why does my hip hurt when I get out of the car?
Getting out of a car combines prolonged sitting with hip bending, rotation and weight-bearing. If the hip or surrounding structures are sensitive, this transition may reproduce pain.
Why does my hip hurt after driving?
Long periods of sitting can make the hip feel stiff or uncomfortable, particularly when you stand and start walking. Your driving position, activity levels and the underlying cause of your symptoms may also contribute.
Why does my hip hurt when I stand after sitting?
Pain when standing after sitting can occur for several reasons, including stiffness, sensitivity around the hip or surrounding areas, or problems influenced by the lower back. Persistent symptoms should be assessed rather than assumed to be simple stiffness.
Why does only one hip hurt when I get out of the car?
One-sided symptoms can be influenced by differences in how you use each leg, your driving position, previous injuries or differences in movement between sides. An assessment can help identify relevant factors.
Should I stretch if my hip hurts after driving?
Gentle movement may be comfortable for some people, but aggressive stretching is not always appropriate. The right approach depends on what is contributing to your symptoms.
When should I see someone about hip pain?
Consider an assessment if hip pain keeps returning, affects your walking or everyday activities, limits movement or is becoming worse. Severe pain after significant trauma or an inability to bear weight should be assessed promptly.
If your hip hurts every time you get out of the car, the movement may be giving you a useful clue about what is contributing. Wellbeing Chiropractic has clinics across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Book an appointment for an individual assessment based on your symptoms, movement, history and examination findings.
