You stand up after a long meeting and your hip takes a few steps to loosen. Getting out of the car feels stiffer than it used to, and there is a dull ache in the front of your hip or groin by the end of the day. If this has started around menopause, changes in how your joints feel may be part of the story, and gentle movement can help a lot.

Why joints can feel stiffer in midlife

Many people notice joints feel stiffer around menopause. Research suggests muscle and joint aches become more common through the menopause transition, and hips are among the joints people mention most.

Oestrogen helps support cartilage, the smooth cushioning on the ends of your bones, and helps keep inflammation in the joint in check. As levels fall, joints can feel stiffer, especially after sitting still for a while. Muscles around the hip can also lose strength more easily, so it does less to support the joint.

None of this means your hip is wearing out. Joints respond well to movement and strength at any age.

Why the first few steps feel stiffest

Your hip joint relies on movement to circulate the fluid that keeps it nourished. After sitting or lying still, that fluid has had little chance to move, so the joint feels stiff. As you walk, it usually loosens within a few minutes. Morning stiffness is common too. A warm shower and a few gentle hip movements before you start your day can help your hip loosen more quickly.

That is why moving often through the day helps more than one long walk at the end of it.

Getting up from sitting more comfortably

Standing up is often when a stiff hip complains most. Something to try:

• Before you stand, gently circle your ankles and straighten your knees a few times.
• Shuffle forward to the edge of your seat.
• Lean forward so your nose comes over your toes, then push up through both legs.
• Take your first few steps slowly, letting your hip warm up.

Higher chairs are easier than low, soft sofas. A cushion on a low seat can help while your hip settles. In the car, you could try sitting down first and then swinging both legs in together, rather than stepping in one leg at a time.

Gentle hip movement

Moving your hip gently through its range keeps it supple. Something to try once or twice a day, holding onto something steady:

• Leg swings. Swing one leg gently forwards and backwards a few times, then swap.
• Hip circles. With your hands on your hips, slowly circle your hips in each direction.
• Knee lifts. Lift each knee towards your chest, within a comfortable range.
• Lying on your back on the floor, slowly slide one heel towards your bottom, then back out.

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

Moving often through your day

Long stretches of sitting are often what leaves a hip stiff. You could try standing for phone calls, walking to refill your water or setting a reminder to move every half hour or so. VIDA’s Pomodoro stretches can prompt you to pause and move during focused work.

Short walks, ideally a few spread across the day, keep your hip moving without overloading it.

Adding a little strength

As your hip starts to feel easier, gentle strengthening helps the muscles around it support the joint. Sit-to-stands, rising from a chair without using your hands, and bridges, lifting your hips while lying on your back, are good places to start. If you would like to follow along, VIDA has short videos of sit to stands and bridges you can work through at your own pace.

Your VIDA pain check-in is a good way to keep track of how your hip is shifting over time.

What to take away

• Move your ankles and knees before you stand up.
• Lean forward and push up through both legs to stand.
• Move your hip gently through its range once or twice a day.
• Break up long periods of sitting every half hour or so.
• Add sit to stands and bridges as your hip eases.

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