Hip pain during motorcycle riding can come from the muscles around the hip, from the hip joint or from your back (MedlinePlus). Health pages such as OrthoInfo describe some of these problems as worse after sitting. No page we read studies riders, so a long ride holding your hips at one bend is a pattern, not a proven cause.
This guide uses pages from the NHS, MedlinePlus and OrthoInfo, the patient site of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. It covers where hip pain is felt and what each spot may point to, warning signs that mean you should stop and get care, and changes riders can try.
Key Takeaways
- A long ride can keep your hips bent and still for hours. Health pages describe some hip problems as worse after long sitting, but none studies motorcyclists, so read the link as a pattern, not a confirmed cause.
- Where it hurts is a clue, not a diagnosis. Side-of-hip pain points to different problems than groin pain, and some hip pain starts in the back.
- Stop riding and get emergency care for severe pain after a fall or crash, or if you cannot put weight on your leg. A hot, swollen hip needs urgent help, as does hip pain with a high temperature and feeling unwell.
- Try one rider-side change at a time: your hip and knee bend, a second leg position, back support and planned stops.
- See a doctor if the pain disturbs your sleep, keeps coming back or is no better after one to two weeks of home care.
This is general information, not medical advice. Stop riding and get emergency care if you have severe hip pain after a fall or crash, or cannot walk or put weight on your leg. Tingling or loss of feeling in your hip or leg after an injury also needs emergency care. If your hip is hot and swollen, or hip pain comes with a high temperature and feeling unwell, stop riding and get urgent medical help. For pain that lasts, see a doctor. These signs come from the NHS and MedlinePlus.
Sitting and hip pain: what the sources say
Some hip problems are described as worse after sitting, and a long ride keeps your hips bent for hours. The pages below describe people in general, so the link to riding is our reading, not a finding about riders.
- Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that cushions the hip (OrthoInfo). It says hip bursitis pain is typically worse when getting up from a chair after sitting a while. MedlinePlus lists sitting for a long time among the times you may notice outer-hip pain more.
- Osteoarthritis is a common wear-and-tear form of arthritis that many people develop as they age (OrthoInfo). It says pain and stiffness from hip osteoarthritis may be worse after sitting or resting awhile.
- Low seating. The NHS advises people with hip pain not to sit in low chairs, which it says can put extra pressure on the hips. That is chair advice, not motorcycle advice.
Setup may matter too. A 2017 post from the physicians at Resurgens Orthopaedics says footpegs set too far back leave the hips and knees flexed. It says this can lead to hip and knee pain.
Hip pain during motorcycle riding: where it hurts and what it may point to
The sources link pain in different parts of the hip to different conditions. Read the table as a map to bring to a doctor, not as a list of what riding causes or a way to diagnose yourself.
| Where you feel it | What it may point to | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Side of the hip, sometimes down the outer thigh | Hip bursitis (MedlinePlus lists it as greater trochanteric pain syndrome) | OrthoInfo: pain at the point of the hip, usually reaching the outer thigh. It is typically worse at night, when lying on that hip and when getting up after sitting a while. MedlinePlus adds sitting for a long time. |
| Front of the hip, where the thigh meets the hip | Hip flexor strain (hip flexors are muscles at the front of the hip that help bring your leg and knee up toward your body) | MedlinePlus: pulling or sharp pain, with trouble getting out of a chair or climbing stairs. It names sudden movements such as sprinting and kicking, and does not mention long sitting. |
| Groin or thigh, sometimes spreading to the buttock or knee | Joint problems such as osteoarthritis or femoroacetabular impingement (extra bone that makes the ball and socket rub) | MedlinePlus: joint pain is often felt most in the groin. OrthoInfo lists groin or thigh pain and joint stiffness for osteoarthritis. OrthoInfo: turning, twisting or squatting may cause sharp pain with impingement. |
| Thigh or knee, with no clear spot in the hip | Pain referred from the hip joint or the back | MedlinePlus: hip pain may be felt in the groin, thigh or knee, and may reflect a problem in the back. |
| Hot, swollen hip with a high temperature | Joint infection (septic arthritis) | The NHS lists this pairing and says to get urgent help. |
| Severe pain and unable to walk after a fall or injury | Hip fracture | The NHS lists this pairing and says to get emergency help. |
OrthoInfo says hip bursitis is more common in women and in middle-aged or elderly people. It says hip osteoarthritis occurs most often in people 50 and older (OrthoInfo). If you ride in your 50s or later, keep that in mind, and leave the guess at a cause to a doctor.
Muscle, joint or bone: what you can tell yourself
You should not try to sort muscle, joint and bone pain on your own. The NHS says: "Do not try to diagnose the cause of the pain yourself." What you can do is collect clues, because a doctor will ask for them.
MedlinePlus says a provider asks where the pain is, when and how it started, what makes it worse and whether you can walk and support weight. After a ride, note where it hurts (see the table) and these clues:
- When. Note whether it is worse after sitting or resting, as in the sources above. The NHS says to see a doctor for hip stiffness that lasts more than 30 minutes after waking up.
- At night. OrthoInfo lists night pain for hip bursitis, and for osteoarthritis as it progresses, so night pain alone does not point to one cause.
- After a fall or crash. Severe pain with trouble putting weight on the leg after a fall or injury is an emergency, because the NHS lists hip fracture as a possible cause.
A doctor adds an examination and sometimes scans. For impingement, OrthoInfo says X-rays show bone shape and signs of arthritis, and MRI shows soft tissue better.
Warning signs: when to stop riding and get care
A few signs mean you should stop riding and get care. The NHS says hip pain is common, especially as you get older, but can sometimes be something serious, such as a hip fracture. Its pages use UK terms (999, A&E, 111, GP). In the US, call 911; MedlinePlus says to go to a hospital or get emergency help after a serious fall or other injury.
Stop riding and get emergency help if:
- you have severe hip pain after a fall or injury, such as a crash (NHS, MedlinePlus)
- you cannot walk, move your hip or put weight on that leg (NHS, MedlinePlus)
- your leg looks deformed, is badly bruised or is bleeding (MedlinePlus)
- you have tingling or loss of feeling in the hip or leg after an injury (NHS)
- your pain is getting worse and you have trouble urinating or having a bowel movement (MedlinePlus)
Get urgent medical help if:
- severe hip pain starts suddenly and you have not fallen or hurt the hip (NHS)
- your hip is swollen and hot, or the skin around it has changed colour (NHS)
- you have hip pain, feel generally unwell and have a high temperature, or you feel hot, cold or shivery (NHS)
Book an appointment if:
- the pain stops you doing normal activities, affects your sleep, is getting worse or keeps coming back (NHS)
- it is no better after one week of home care (MedlinePlus) or two weeks (NHS)
Pain in the hip can start in the back (MedlinePlus), so the NHS back pain page matters too. It says to call 999 or go to A&E for back pain with signs such as:
- pain, tingling, weakness or numbness in both legs
- loss of feeling around the genitals or anus
- changes in bladder or bowel control
- a start after a serious accident
The NHS says not to drive yourself to A&E. On a motorcycle the same applies: pull over somewhere safe and call for help rather than riding on.
Rider-side changes worth trying
Most rider-side advice we found is practice advice, not research, so change one thing at a time. It comes from a 2017 post by an orthopaedic practice and from the Iron Butt Association, a long-distance riding group.
- Check how bent your hips and knees are. Resurgens Orthopaedics recommends an upright, neutral spine with the hips and knees bent to 90 degrees, which it says lowers the chance of pain or injury. Your bike may not let you move the pegs, so check the owner's manual or ask a dealer.
- Give your legs a second position. The same post lists additional footpegs as a way to change position.
- Support your lower back. The post ties missing lumbar (lower-back) support to low back and hip pain, and lists a backrest as a quick fix.
- Plan stops to walk and stretch. The post lists periodic rest breaks to stretch and walk around. The Iron Butt Association prefers a walk to stretch sore muscles over idling at gas stops.
- Test changes on a short ride first. The Iron Butt Association advises against trying a new accessory for the first time on a big trip, and gives electrical add-ons as its example. We read a new peg position, seat or pad the same way: try it on a short ride first.
For the pain itself, the NHS suggests staying active without overdoing it, gentle hip stretches and a wrapped ice pack for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.
We found no source on seat width. If your knees feel pushed wide, or the seat edge presses on your outer thigh, you could sit on other seats at a dealer and compare.
For more on planning a long day, see Hexrider's long-distance riding articles and comfort articles.
What the sources do not show
These pages describe people in general, so they leave two gaps for riders:
- No page measures hip pain in motorcyclists. The closest is MedlinePlus, whose hip pain page describes bursitis as pain when getting up from a chair, walking, climbing stairs and driving. It does not mention motorcycles.
- No page tests peg position, seat width or stop spacing against hip pain in riders.
So the idea that a long ride holds the hips at one bend and aggravates some hip problems is our reading, not an established rule. If your pain follows a pattern, tell your doctor that you ride and how long your days are.
A seat pad is one option some riders try
Hexrider sells the Hexcushion, so read this section with that in mind. The Hexrider product page describes a strap-on pad that sits on top of your existing seat, with hexagon cells, an open channel down the middle and an anti-slip mesh underside. It lists about a quarter inch of added seat height for a 200 lb rider. Some riders report about half an inch to an inch in their reviews, and one reviewer says they could touch the ground only with their toes.
Photo from a Hexcushion customer review, June 2026. Seats and results vary.
Rider reviews differ. One rider writes:
"It looks good, it fits good, it's secure and it is very cushy."
— a Hexcushion customer review, November 2024
Another writes:
"This cushion did not help me. No better than any other gel cushion."
— a Hexcushion customer review, October 2024
A pad cannot tell you why a hip hurts, and it does not replace a doctor's check or the warning signs above. More rider reports are in the rider reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my hips hurt riding a motorcycle?
The sources do not name one cause. Hip pain can come from the muscles around the hip, the joint or the back (MedlinePlus), and bursitis (MedlinePlus) and osteoarthritis (OrthoInfo) are described as worse after long sitting. Resurgens Orthopaedics says footpegs set too far back leave the hips and knees flexed, which can lead to hip and knee pain. No page we read studies motorcyclists, so a long ride holding your hips at one bend is a pattern, not a confirmed cause.
How can you tell if hip pain comes from muscle or bone?
Not reliably on your own, and the NHS says not to try to diagnose the cause yourself. A doctor starts with where it hurts, when it began, what makes it worse and whether you can put weight on the leg (MedlinePlus). Scans may follow: for impingement, OrthoInfo says X-rays show bone shape and signs of arthritis, and MRI shows soft tissue better.
What is a red flag for hip pain?
The NHS says to call emergency services for severe hip pain after a fall or injury. It gives the same advice if you cannot walk or put weight on the leg, or have tingling or loss of feeling in the hip or leg after an injury. A hot, swollen hip needs urgent medical help, as does hip pain with a high temperature and feeling unwell. If this happens mid-trip, stop riding and get care.
About this article
Written by the Hexrider team, which sells the Hexcushion seat pad. We chose public health pages (the NHS and MedlinePlus), the patient site of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, one practice's post and one long-distance riding group. This page was last updated 2026-11-09, it is general information, not medical advice, and you can reach us through the Hexrider contact page.
Sources
- NHS, "Hip pain in adults", retrieved 2026-11-09.
- NHS, "Back pain", retrieved 2026-11-09.
- MedlinePlus, "Hip pain", retrieved 2026-11-09.
- MedlinePlus, "Greater trochanteric pain syndrome", retrieved 2026-11-09.
- MedlinePlus, "Hip flexor strain - aftercare", retrieved 2026-11-09.
- OrthoInfo (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons), "Hip Bursitis", retrieved 2026-11-09.
- OrthoInfo, "Osteoarthritis of the Hip", retrieved 2026-11-09.
- OrthoInfo, "Femoroacetabular Impingement", retrieved 2026-11-09.
- Resurgens Orthopaedics, "Ergonomic Tips to Avoid Motorcycle Riding Injuries" (posted May 15, 2017), retrieved 2026-11-09.
- Iron Butt Association, "IBA 25 Long-Distance Riding Tips", retrieved 2026-11-09.
- Hexrider, "Motorcycle Seat Cushion | HexRider Long Distance Pad" (product page), retrieved 2026-11-09.