Our jobs and lifestyles determine what we do daily. Our day revolves around our jobs, and what we do during and outside of working hours determines our lifestyle. 

If you're working from home or in an office-based setting, chances are you're sitting for prolonged periods. On top of your job, there are other activities you might do, such as exercise, cook, and showering, etc. 

All of these activities require your muscles and joints to either move or be under pressure. This daily routine we go through requires effort from our bodies to perform repetitive movements, leading to many possible physical injuries. One common injury from muscle stress is Hip Bursitis or Trochanteric bursitis.

What is Hip Bursitis?

First, let's discuss bursitis. Bursitis is when the bursae, tiny fluid sacs acting as cushions between the bones and tissues, get inflamed.This inflammation results from many causes, with repetitive actions and improper posture being two of the most common sources. 

There are an estimated 150 bursae in our bodies. 

The hip is one of the main  areas of the body where bursae are located. There are two major bursae in the hips, the trochanteric bursa and ischial bursa, which are both susceptible to inflammation. 

The repetitive motions that we constantly perform put the bursae in constant friction against the joints, eventually leading to inflammation. Bad posture also aggravates the bursae by adding unwanted pressure and strain.

Because the hip serves a vital function in our movement and stability, its bursae are constantly in friction and pressure. With overuse, poor posture, and other related matters, there is an increased chance of developing bursitis in your hips.

Work and lifestyle adjustments to avoid Hip Bursitis

Hip bursitis is most common amongst women and older adults, but it can affect anyone. Every action our body performs, even when sitting down, can eventually lead to bursitis in the hips. With constant overuse and unnecessary stress, the bursae in the hips can get inflamed. 

Bursitis is considered a temporary ailment, but it can become chronic if not treated properly. Fortunately, you can adjust certain things in your lifestyle to avoid developing hip bursitis. 

Here are a few helpful tips on avoiding bursitis in your hips.

1. Be Mindful of How You Perform Activities

Repetitive strain injuries (RSI’s) are a rising concern in Canada. Once considered to affect only athletes, repetitive motions to the body are now significantly afflicting Canada's workforce, with 1 out of 10 workers being affected by RSI. It's not just repetitive motions that can lead to RSI’s, with overuse, excessive strain, forceful and rapid movements also being factors. 

Anyone in the workplace can get an RSI, from maintenance workers to clerks and typists.  Bursitis forming in the hips is one of the injuries that can come from RSI. 

Thus, it's essential to be mindful of how your body performs the activities you do daily. 

If you're constantly repeating actions that can aggravate bursitis in your hips, such as sitting and standing, make sure to give your hips a break and a good stretch. A pause and a good stretch ease out the strain and pressure in your hips from working all day. 

Also, be mindful of how you sit and stand, making sure that you're not doing so with force or haste to avoid excessive strain on your hips.

2.  Fix Poor Posture

If you're sure that you maintain proper posture every day, then you can skip this advice. However, maintaining good posture is one of the hardest things that many people struggle with. In fact, many Canadians are considered to have bad posture. 

Having bad posture, especially when sitting down at work for too long, adds unnecessary strain to the hips. Since the hips are already facing lots of tension from facilitating other activities you perform throughout the day, excessive pressure can aggravate bursitis in your hips. 

Thus, having proper posture at all times, especially when sitting down, is essential to minimize the burden on your hips to avoid bursitis. 

Since poor posture is still a challenging practice for most, many are opting for ergonomic chairs. Many offices are now taking notice of workplace injuries related to poor posture at work and are embracing ergonomics. 

Good ergonomic chairs have all the functions and features that allow your body to keep proper posture and comfort when sitting for prolonged time. The lumbar support and height adjustment are a few features of ergonomic chairs that will benefit your hips by keeping your back straight and your knees adequately rested.

3. Avoid Sitting too Long.

While fixing your posture and having an ergonomic chair can minimize hip bursitis from sitting too long, it's still a good idea to give your hips a refresher. Sitting too long causes the hip flexors to tighten and eventually increases your hips' risks of developing bursitis. 

Thus, balancing, sitting, and standing are ideal to avoid injuries such as hip bursitis. Not only do you prevent muscle contractions from being in one position for too long and minimizing the risks of inflammation, but you are also reaping other health benefits of standing, such as reducing the risk of heart disease.

If your work entails being at your desks most of the time, you can also opt for a suitable standing desk that gives you an option to work while standing up. With standing desks, you can alternate your workflow between sitting or standing without having to leave your desk.

4. Eat Healthier and look out for food allergies

Eating healthy is the most effortless lifestyle change that you can do to further minimize developing bursitis in your hips. 

Eating healthier will reduce the chances of excessive weight, which adds extra pressure on your joints. The hips play a significant role in maintaining body weight, so having excessive weight fatigues the joint and the bursa in the hips, which increases the chances of inflammation and bursitis in the hips. 

Health conditions such as diabetes and gout have also been linked to hip bursitis. So if you have such health conditions, it's essential to avoid foods that will trigger these further.

Final Thoughts

It's easy to take our health for granted when we are leading a busy lifestyle. We often lose track of how we are living amidst balancing work and life, so not paying close attention to how our lifestyle could be affecting our health. 

As with many other injuries and health conditions, bip bursitis can develop through our lifestyles without much observation. We may do many things unconsciously, such as having bad posture, sitting too long, and repetitive actions that can suddenly aggravate bursitis in our hips. 

Due to this information, it's essential to observe how we live our lifestyle concerning our health and make the necessary adjustments to remain as healthy as possible. Your health is not just crucial for your well-being but your loved ones as well. 

Fortunately, there are many lifestyle changes and even products that we can use to avoid health issues such as hip bursitis.