You're relaxing in your favorite recliner, watching television or reading a book.
After sitting comfortably for an hour or two, you decide to get up.
You lower the footrest, lean forward and try to stand.
Suddenly, your hip feels stiff, painful or difficult to move. 🦵😣
Maybe you feel a sharp pain in your groin. Perhaps there's an ache along the outside of your hip. Or you find yourself pushing hard against the armrests just to get upright.
Then, after walking around for several minutes, the discomfort begins to improve.
Sound familiar?
For people with hip arthritis and other chronic hip conditions, getting out of a recliner can be surprisingly difficult.
And there are several reasons why.
Recliners are designed for comfort, not necessarily for making standing easy.
Unlike a firm dining room chair, many recliners have:
🛋️ Deep, cushioned seats
🦵 Elevated leg positions
↘️ A slightly reclined backrest
🪑 Low seating surfaces
💪 Armrests that people rely on for support
When you sit in a recliner for an extended period, your hips remain relatively still.
Then, when it's time to stand, your hips must move from a bent position while your muscles generate enough force to lift your body.
If your hip is already stiff or irritated, that transition can become uncomfortable.
One common symptom of hip osteoarthritis is discomfort after periods of inactivity.
You may feel relatively comfortable while sitting.
But when you first stand, the hip feels stiff, tight or painful.
This is sometimes called start-up pain.
Hip arthritis involves changes affecting the cartilage, bone and other structures within the joint.
These changes can make certain movements uncomfortable, particularly after prolonged sitting.
You might notice the same problem when:
🚗 Getting out of a car
🪑 Standing after dinner
📺 Getting up from the couch
🛏️ Getting out of bed
🎭 Standing after sitting through a movie
For some people, the first few steps are the most difficult.
Once they begin moving, the hip gradually feels more comfortable.
However, this pattern doesn't automatically confirm arthritis.
Many people assume hip pain should be felt on the outside of the hip.
But pain originating from the hip joint itself is often felt in the groin or front of the upper thigh.
This can be confusing.
Someone may complain of groin pain when standing from a chair without realizing the hip joint could be responsible.
Hip arthritis can also produce discomfort in the buttock, thigh and occasionally even the knee.
If you repeatedly experience groin pain when getting out of a recliner, it's worth having your hip evaluated.
Standing from a seated position requires considerable muscle coordination.
Your gluteal muscles, quadriceps and other leg muscles work together to raise your body.
When you're sitting in a deep recliner, your hips may be positioned lower than your knees.
That can make standing more demanding.
Your muscles must generate enough force to lift your body while keeping you balanced.
If those muscles are weak, you may find yourself:
💪 Pushing hard against the armrests
🦵 Favoring one leg
↗️ Rocking forward several times before standing
🪑 Sliding toward the front of the seat
😣 Struggling to stand without assistance
Sometimes the problem isn't just pain inside the hip joint. Reduced muscle strength can make the entire movement more difficult.
Here's something interesting.
You may struggle to get out of the recliner, but after walking around the house for five minutes, your hip feels noticeably better.
Why?
Movement can help reduce the sensation of stiffness associated with prolonged inactivity.
As you begin walking, your muscles become active and your hip moves through a more comfortable range.
For people with osteoarthritis, this can temporarily improve how the joint feels.
But the improvement doesn't necessarily mean the underlying condition has disappeared.
If the same painful pattern happens every time you stand after sitting, it's worth paying attention.
Not all hip pain comes from arthritis inside the joint.
Pain along the outside of the hip may involve the gluteal tendons and surrounding tissues.
One condition associated with this pattern is greater trochanteric pain syndrome.
People with outer hip pain may experience discomfort when:
🌙 Lying on the affected side
🪜 Climbing stairs
🚶 Walking longer distances
🦵 Standing on one leg
🪑 Getting up from certain chairs
Tendon irritation and muscle weakness can sometimes make the transition from sitting to standing uncomfortable.
The location of the pain, associated symptoms and physical examination can help determine the cause.
Yes.
The lower back and hips work together during everyday movement.
Some conditions involving the lumbar spine can produce pain in the buttock, hip or thigh.
For example, nerve irritation may cause symptoms that extend beyond the lower back.
These may include:
⚡ Shooting or burning pain
🦵 Discomfort traveling down the leg
🦶 Numbness or tingling
💪 Muscle weakness
Certain spinal conditions may also become more uncomfortable when transitioning from sitting to standing.
That's why a thorough evaluation may involve examining both the hip and lower back.
At first, getting up may cause only a little stiffness.
Then you begin pushing harder with your arms.
Eventually, you may notice that you avoid sitting in the recliner altogether because standing afterward has become too difficult.
Some people even choose a different chair or ask someone for help getting up.
These changes may seem minor.
But when you're changing your daily routine because of hip pain, the problem may be affecting your independence more than you realize.
The ability to stand comfortably from a chair is an important part of everyday mobility.
If getting out of your recliner regularly aggravates your hip, a few changes may help.
1. Return the chair to an upright position.
Before standing, make sure the footrest is fully lowered and the backrest is upright.
2. Move toward the front of the seat.
Positioning yourself closer to the edge can make standing easier.
3. Place your feet underneath you.
Avoid trying to stand with your feet extended far in front of your body.
4. Lean forward slightly before standing.
A controlled forward movement can help position your body over your feet.
5. Use the armrests when necessary.
If you need arm support for balance or safety, use it. Avoid forcing yourself to stand without assistance if doing so increases your fall risk.
6. Avoid sitting for excessively long periods.
Taking regular movement breaks may help reduce stiffness.
A firmer or slightly higher chair may also be easier to stand from than a deep, soft recliner.
No.
Difficulty getting out of a recliner doesn't automatically mean you need hip replacement surgery.
Even when arthritis is present, the decision about surgery depends on several factors.
These include:
Depending on the cause, non-surgical approaches may include physical therapy, strengthening, activity modification, medications and certain injection-based treatments.
For patients with advanced arthritis and substantial ongoing disability despite appropriate conservative care, hip replacement may eventually be a reasonable option.
But one painful movement doesn't determine whether surgery is necessary.
Consider an evaluation if you're experiencing:
🚩 Increasing pain when standing from a chair
🚩 Persistent groin or hip pain
🚩 Difficulty walking after sitting
🚩 A worsening limp
🚩 Reduced hip mobility
🚩 Difficulty climbing stairs
🚩 Increasing reliance on your arms to stand
🚩 Pain interfering with sleep or normal activities
Sudden severe hip pain after a fall, inability to bear weight or significant new weakness should receive prompt medical attention.
If your hip hurts every time you get out of your recliner, it may be more than simply sitting too long.
Hip arthritis, stiffness, muscle weakness, tendon irritation and certain lower back conditions can all contribute.
And while simple changes in how you stand may help, persistent or worsening hip pain shouldn't automatically be dismissed as part of getting older.
At Arthritis & Joint Pain Center, we help appropriate patients with chronic hip pain understand what's contributing to their symptoms and explore non-surgical treatment options, with the goal of reducing pain and improving mobility.
Because getting out of your favorite chair shouldn't have to become the hardest part of relaxing.
