Article: An occupational therapist will go through your everyday tasks to help you make adjustments. These adjustments will take some of the pressure off your hip, making your life a bit easier. Ask your doctor for a referral to an occupational therapist or find one through your insurance by using an online search tool. For example, a shower chair may help if you have hip pain while bathing. Alternatively, an occupational therapist may suggest you avoid stairs to keep from aggravating your hip. Exercise is essential for treating hip arthritis. For one, it can help you lose weight, which in turn takes pressure off your hips. In addition, it can increase your flexibility and strengthen muscles around your hip. A physical therapist will help you develop a routine that will allow you to exercise without making your arthritis worse. Ask your doctor for a referral or find one through your insurance's online search tool. If you've been doing exercises like playing tennis or running, you'll need to make some changes. Swimming is a particularly good exercise for arthritis sufferers, as it offers a full-body workout without putting unneeded stress on your hips. These exercises tend to be gentle on the joints while also helping with flexibility and arthritis pain. They can also help reduce anxiety and stress as an added bonus. Look for classes in your area particularly targeted to arthritis sufferers or even just yoga or tai chi for seniors. Some senior classes will let younger people join, so check around for one even if you're not a "senior" yet. If a particular movement causes pain in your hip, avoid doing it. with diet and exercise to take pressure off your hips. Finding exercise you enjoy and can do with little pain is a great way to lose weight. However, your diet also plays an important role, so make sure you're watching what you eat, as well. You can even enrich your diet with foods that decrease inflammation. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day most days of the week. Eat foods with anti-inflammatory properties, such as fish rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, blackberries, nuts, beans, strawberries, olive oil, eggplant, and oatmeal. Avoid processed foods whenever possible. Watch your caloric intake to ensure you're not taking in more calories than you're burning. Use an online calorie calculator to help you determine how many calories to consume. While canes, walkers, shoehorns, and reachers won't make the pain go away, they can make it more bearable. For instance, when you use a cane or walker, it can take some of the weight off your hip, reducing the pressure. Canes and walkers provide assistance with walking. Shoehorns are devices that help you slip your shoes on, and reachers are extension arms that help you grab things that are out of reach. Find these devices in any pharmacy or big-box store. Try other helpful devices, such as sock-assistive devices, which assist you with slipping on socks without bending over, and increased-height toilet seats, which add height to the top of the toilet, making it easier to get up.
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Attend occupational therapy to adjust your habits. Create an exercise program with a physical therapist. Choose low-impact exercises like swimming or cycling. Increase flexibility and movement with yoga or tai chi. Lose weight Use assistive devices like canes and reachers to make your life easier.