Why you’re feeling pain when sitting

There are many body parts involved in sitting, so it can be difficult to figure out what is causing the pain you feel when sitting. Fortunately, physical therapists can make finding the culprit easier. 

Discomfort when sitting is often just one symptom caused by a medical issue or injury, and such issues can affect your lower back, hips, knees and buttocks. For instance, arthritis can affect multiple joints and lead to an aching sensation when you sit for a long period of time. This issue affects more than 40% of men and 47% of women in their lifetime. Physical therapists have the expertise to help you determine why you’re feeling pain when sitting, and they can help you find effective ways to treat your pain. 

Common causes of pain when sitting

Sitting for long periods of time is something that many people do every day — research shows that the average American sits for about 10 hours a day. It can be much harder to sit down and do your work or watch a movie with your family if sitting causes you discomfort. 

Some of the common causes of sitting-related discomfort include: 

• Hip osteoarthritis
• Piriformis syndrome
• Sciatica
• Lumbar stenosis
• Knee osteoarthritis
• Pelvic floor dysfunction

Physical therapy methods that can reduce pain when sitting

After helping you figure out the source of your discomfort when sitting, your physical therapist can then help you treat it. Your treatment will be based on a personalized therapy plan, and this plan will contain therapy techniques intended to benefit you. Just a few of the techniques your therapist could include in your unique treatment plan are: 

• Postural training designed to help you improve your posture when sitting.

• Soft tissue mobilization that can decrease tension and pain in the muscles around the affected area. 

• Joint mobilization to help improve mobility and reduce pain in arthritic joints. 

• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) that can ease tension by breaking down areas of scar tissue. 

• Neuromuscular activation training designed to correct abnormal movement patterns and improve muscle strength. 

Advent Physical Therapy offers top-notch treatment for pain when sitting

You don’t have to continue dealing with pain when you’re sitting. Our physical therapists at Advent Physical Therapy offer treatment that can reduce your pain and prevent it from returning. We’ll begin by doing a free screening designed to reveal the cause of your pain. Next, our specialists will construct a therapy plan that’s unique to you. 

Don’t want to sit in your car and in a waiting room? Our team offers several therapy services that allow you to get the care you need from home, including at-home care and virtual therapy sessions. Even better, you can start getting our help if you don’t have a referral from your doctor. 

Contact our team today for more information about all the treatment options we offer for pain or to schedule an initial appointment.