Your hip feels stiff when you stand after a long day at your desk, or your buttock aches after hours of sitting. Then, when you start a new exercise routine, it complains even more. Long sitting and sudden changes in activity can both play a part, and a few changes can help.

Why sitting all day can affect your hips and glutes

Your hip is a ball and socket joint built for lots of movement, and your glutes, the muscles in your buttocks, are among the strongest in your body. Sitting for most of the day asks very little of either.

Long spells of sitting keep your hips bent and your glutes inactive, while putting steady pressure on the area you sit on. Over time, this can leave your hips feeling stiff and your buttocks achy. The muscles at the front of your hips can also start to feel tight. Your glutes may also become less used to working, which can make them more likely to complain when you suddenly ask more of them.

When starting exercise brings it on

Many people in their 20s start running, lifting or joining classes, often enthusiastically. If your hips and glutes have spent a lot of time sitting, jumping straight into a busy training schedule can be more than they are ready for. Pain on the outside of the hip, in the buttock or at the front of the hip can all appear.

This is usually a sign of load going up faster than your body can adapt, rather than damage. Building up more gradually tends to help.

Breaking up sitting

Some ideas for moving more through the day:

• Stand up and move every half hour or so.
• Take calls standing up or walking.
• Swap between sitting, standing and perching on a higher seat.
• Use breaks to walk, rather than staying at your desk.

VIDA’s Pomodoro stretches, in the top right corner, can prompt you to pause and move during focused work.

Gentle hip movement

Moving your hips through their range helps them feel less stiff after sitting. Something to try once or twice a day, holding onto something steady:

• Leg swings forwards and backwards, within a comfortable range.
• Slow hip circles in each direction.
• Knee lifts towards your chest.
• Taking one leg back behind you, keeping your back still.

If you would like a guided stretch, VIDA has short videos you can follow at your own pace.

Building glute strength

Strong glutes help support your hips, knees and back, and help you cope with exercise. Something to try two or three times a week:

• Bridges. Lie on your back with your knees bent, lift your hips, then lower slowly.
• Sit to stand. Rise from a chair without using your hands, then lower slowly.
• Reverse lunges. Step back into a lunge, going as deep as feels comfortable.
• Side-lying leg lifts. Lie on your side and slowly lift your top leg a little way, then lower.

If you would like to follow along, VIDA has short videos of bridges, sit to stands and lunges you can use at your own pace. Start with a few repetitions and build up.

Starting exercise gradually

If you are new to exercise or returning after a break, building up steadily gives your body time to adapt. Some ideas:

• Start with two or three sessions a week, with rest days between.
• Add one thing at a time, like distance, weight or another session.
• Mix higher-impact activities, like running, with lower-impact ones, like cycling or swimming.
• Check how your hips feel the next morning to guide your next session.

Easing pressure when you sit

If your buttock aches when sitting, a cushion on hard chairs, sitting with your weight even on both sides and avoiding crossing your legs can help. Checking for a phone or wallet in your back pocket helps too.

Your VIDA pain check-in can help you notice how your hips and glutes respond as you build activity.

What to take away

• Long sitting days leave your hips stiff and your glutes underused.
• Stand up and move every half hour or so.
• Strengthen your glutes two or three times a week.
• Build up new exercises gradually.
• Use a cushion and avoid crossing your legs when sitting.

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