Hip pain!

[bearbarney]

I’ve been cycling to work, a fairly hilly 5 miles each way, since September, around 3 days a week out of five.
My hip/top of thigh area has recently started giving me problems. I have pain like bruise on the outside of my hip area, and it gets very stiff/painful after sitting/being still for more than than about five minutes. It quickly loosens up but then it’s painful again next time I sit down. Doesn’t hurt while riding.
What might it be, and how can I help it? I really have to cycle to work and don’t want to give it up!

[NUKe]

As the pain is on the outside it’s not the hip joint, it is more likely to be lower back. See a physiotherapist for a proper diagnosis and get an exercise/ stretching plan

[bearbarney]

Thank you NUKe, I’m hopeful it is probably a muscle thing rather than new hip time!

[KM2]

Are you sitting squarely on your saddle. It sounds like you are sitting with a tilted pelvis down on the pain free side and up on the pained side. This would mean you are recruiting the little muscles at the top of the thigh and also the one at the side which holds your pelvis level when standing on one leg. Instead of the hip flexor .
Do you find the saddle presses more on the pain free side of the crotch? That would indicate not sitting squarely, because you are lifting the painful side of the pelvis when pedalling.
If so you’ll have to work out why, muscle trauma or impingement in the joint.

[KM2]

Also make sure you are sitting high enough to get a decent pedal action.