The Best Sex Positions for Hip Pain

The hips tend to be awfully essential to intercourse. After all, the parts we're looking to join just happen to be located between those pesky limbs attached to your hips.

This is why hip pain can be mighty disruptor when it comes to sex. When moving the legs or back at any non-standard angle is causing pain, it can feel like every sex position is outside the scope of possibility.

But that doesn't necessarily have to be the case! If your doctor has cleared you for sex, there are quite a few sex positions that keep the hips in a neutral position for either partner to give you a gentle reintroduction to sex - and let you experience new positions!

Before diving into this list, don't forget: everyone's pain is unique. Yours might flare up when your externally OR internally rotate your knees. You might be great when they're externally or internally rotated, but once any weight is applied on top, that's when the pain settles in.

With that in mind, if the first position on this list doesn't work for you, consider trying others. While this list of sex positions focuses on removing hip pressure and rotation from the equation, every person is unique, and what stresses your "hips" will be unique to you as well.

Let's get through some of the best sex positions for hip pain.

And if pain is part of your life, you might also check out The Best Sex Positions for Bad Knees and The Best Sex Positions for Back Pain.

Try it With: The Liberator Ramp. If you don't have a lounger ready to go, you can DIY your own with a Liberator Ramp and a flat surface. The Ramp allows the penetrating partner's back to enjoy a gentle, upright slope anywhere you place it!

Reclined Crouching Tiger Position

If your hip pain isn't aggravated by pressure, this position can be a really good fit. The Reclined Crouching Tiger Position evenly weights your hips with your partner's weight while simultaneously keeping the rest of your body in a neutral position, letting the receiving partner do the work.

Be Careful with: As shown, bending to use a sex toy on the receiving partner may place your hips into a compromised position. Consider a longer sex toy (that requires less reach!) or take that aspect out of your position if you find that it's causing discomfort.

Try It With: A bed! While this position can be done on a couch or chair, I highly recommend a bed for the most support. The flat surface gives you both more room to spread out, allowing you both to keep the weight as evenly dispersed as possible.

Eiffel Tower Position

Standing positions can be fantastic because they place the penetrating partner's body in a flat, neutral position. That's the case with the Eiffel Tower position, too. By leaning forward onto the receiving partner's hips, the penetrating partner can maintain a straight line with their body, reducing the need for hip involvement.

Be Careful with: Your hip movement. It can be tempting to experiment with a lot of hip thrusting in this position, but make sure to take it slowly, paying attention to the signals your body is giving you.

Try It With: A bolster or piece of furniture under the receiving partner's hands. In order to maintain the neutral hip position, the penetrating partner may need to rest quite a bit of weight on the receiver's hips. Prevent the receiver from tipping over by using a piece of furniture under their hands to offer extra support.

The Challenge Position

Proving that pain doesn't have to keep you from ninja-like positions, the Challenge Position offers an adventure for the both of you without aggravating your hip joints. Since the penetrating partner stays in a relatively neutral standing position, the hips stay away from any deep stretches or torsion. The penetrating partner is still pulling their weight though! This position requires gentle thrusting and careful positioning to avoid pushing the receiver off balance.

Be Careful With: Your angle. In order to compensate for the receiver's (beautiful!) bum pressing against you, the penetrating partner might be tempted to lean their upper body backward, as shown. Look out for any back pain if you do - and modify the position by having the receiving partner lean forward onto something (like the Tuck Position) if you find that it's happening.

Try It With: A bed in front of the receiver. A challenge is fun, but hurting someone isn't. Ensuring that the receiver will simply lose their balance and fall forward onto the bed can ensure you both have a great time laughing - instead of making a trip to the ER.

Mesmerthighs Sex Position

If putting any weight on the hips is causing discomfort, take the penetration away from the hips! By using a thigh harness, you both can enjoy the intimacy of the Mesmerthighs position without adding discomfort at the hip joint. (As an added bonus, the harness wearer will still have full access to between their own thighs, so everyone can still enjoy pleasure!)

Be Careful With: If you wear the thigh strap-on harness too high on your hips, it's still possible to involve the hips in this one - especially as the body will be unevenly weighted. If you're finding a bit of discomfort, try wearing the thigh harness closer down to the knee.

Try It With: A pillow for the harness wearer's head. This can be an amazing position to watch the receiver in. In some sex positions, the hip-on-hip angles put the receiving partner a bit too close to comfortably watch. By moving the receiver down the body a bit, you both get even better angles to watch one another's pleasure. It's hot!

Swinging Cowgirl

If you miss the feeling of Cowgirl but find that any weight on your hips is a no-go, I'd recommend bringing in a bit of help from a sex swing. Not only is it sexually adventurous, but it's actually really useful! The sex swing supports the majority of the receiver's weight, so Swinging Cowgirl can happen with minimal weight resting on the penetrating partner. It's a win-win!

READ: 5 Awesome Sex Swing Positions That Will Leave You Flying High

Be Careful With: where you hang the sex swing. Sex swings are amazing, but they have to be installed securely to be safe. Have a professional install your swing or consider a sex swing stand if you don't want to make changes to your home.

Try It With: A couple's vibrator. Add a bit more adventure to your already-adventurous sex position with something like the Vibrating Girth Enhancer Extension or a We-Vibe Chorus. Couple's vibes can add pleasure for both partners without requiring either partner to hold them in place.Sex Positions for Receiving Partners with Hip Pain

Double Hooked In Position

While a lot of hip-friendly sex positions for the receiver will involved permutations of doggy style, the Double Hooked In Position changes things up. The upright position of both partners helps keep the hips at a neutral angle. To keep those hips neutral on the receiver, you may need to require more of a "push forward" from the penetrating partner; just make sure to keep those lines of communication open!

Be Careful With: The angle of your bodies. It can be easy for the receiving partner to try to compensate for the penetrating partner "pulling back" by pushing their hips back. This can place the hips in a compromised position. Instead, ask the penetrating partner to push forward, allowing the receiver to reduce how far they need to drive their own hips back.

Try It With: An anal plug! As pictured, the Double Hooked In position is a great fit for adding anal pleasure. Choose an anal toy that will easily stay in the body (like the b-Vibe Snug Plugs or Vibrating Snug Plugs!). The last thing you want to be doing is fiddling with a sex toy!

The Hinge Position

A play on the Doggy Style position, the Hinge position can be fantastic for receiver's hip pain because it allows the receiving partner to spread their legs as much (or as little) as is comfortable for their hips. With one of the penetrating partner's legs out of the way, the receiver has all the room they need to position their own leg.

(I recommend the receiver keep the spine in a neutral position by doing this position on their hands instead of their elbows as shown.)

Be Careful With: The intensity of your thrusting. This position really tempts you into deep, rough sex, and that can exacerbate any pain the receiving partner is feeling. Make sure to ramp up slowly if rough sex is on the menu to ensure no one feels any (unwanted!) pain.

Try It With: The Hinge Position can be a great fit for cock rings. All of the close, skin-on-skin pressure can make a cock ring really hit that right spot. The receiving partner can further customize the pleasure by pressing backwards into the toy for grinding and sustained pleasure instead of going onto the next thrust.

The Champagne Room Position

The Champagne Room Position makes it as comfortable to have sex as sitting down - well, if you were going to "sit down" on your partner's appendage, anyway. If seated positions generally feel comfortable on your hips, the Champagne Room position can be a good fit - just make sure to pay attention to the angle of your upper body to ensure it stays in the neutral, 90-degree position your hips are probably looking for.

Be Careful With: A penetrating partner who has a larger stomach. In order to make penetration work with a larger tum-tum, this might require the receiving partner to hinge over more, potentially placing strain on the hips. Every one of our bodies is different; experiment with the angle to see if it works for you!

Try It With: A vibrator or penis stroker for the receiver. This sex position leaves a lot of room in front of the receiving partner. While the penetrating partner may be able to reach around to touch their lover, this may accidentally pull the receiver's body, potentially causing hip pain. This can be avoided by the receiver holding their own sex toy. With all of the space in front of the receiver, larger toys like wand massagers, penis sex machines, or air suction toys can be a "yes" here!

Private Rubdown Position

If the receiver's hips don't mind weight on top of them, the Private Rubdown can be a great fit. Not only does it lend itself well to a relaxing massage that can help reduce pain due to tension, but it also can transition well to penetration with from-behind positioning that requires virtually no movement on the receiver's end.

Be Careful With: Extra weight on top of the hips. As shown, the Private Rubdown position has the penetrating partner straddling the upper thighs, but especially as things progress closer to penetration, it may lead to uncomfortable pressure on the hips. Monitor your body for any signs of pain, and let your partner know. You both may want to default to shallow penetration to reduce how much of the penetrating partner's weight rests on top of the receiver.

Try It With: A bit of extra bondage! The Bondi board (as shown) makes that really easy, but you can pull it off at home with a kit as simple as the Our First Bondage Kit. I recommend keeping the tethers loose to allow the receiving partner to readjust their limbs, as needed, to best support their hips.

The TV Dinner Position

Who said hip pain had to mean boring sex positions?! The TV Dinner position takes advantage of any standard chair to keep the receiving partner in a seated position. While this does require a spreading of the legs for the receiver, it keeps the knees in a neutral elevation for the hips.

Be Careful With: If your hip pain comes from spreading the legs, the TV Dinner Position may be a no-go. If you find that spreading the legs during Missionary provides pain, this one may be off the table.

Try It With: The edge of the bed. If you aren't finding a chair in your home that'll cooperate, consider the edge of the bed. That way, the most spreading your legs will need to do is just that to accommodate your partner - not an extra-wide chair!Sex Positions for Hip Pain for All Partners

Is hip pain a trait you both share? If so, there are still some fantastic sex and intimacy positions that can be a great fit for your sex life. I'd recommend:

Twin Standing Position

If everyone has hip pain, a sex position that keeps you both standing and in neutral positions is a good place to start! This dual standing position can be done anywhere, but as shown, it uses a piece of sex furniture to hold a vibrator for additional pleasure!

READ: Top Liberator Sex Furniture Positions

Be Careful If: Your heights don't align. If your hips don't align, you may try to compensate by bending. Instead, have one partner stand on an elevated surface (like a stair or aerobic step) to help even out the height differences to make penetration possible.

Try It With: The Liberator Axis and a Magic Wand! The Twin Standing Pleasure Position works really well for hands-free pleasure with a wand massager slid into the Axis. If the receiving partner has a penis, the Liberator Top Dog can also be a great fit.

The Spoon Position

You also can take the idea of a dual standing sex position - and take it to lying down! Spooning can be a great fit when you both have hip pain (as long as lying on your side isn't part of what's causing the pain!) While penetration should be gentle in this position to protect your hips, the full skin-on-skin contact of the position can feel amazingly intimate.

Be Careful If: you try to go too deep. It can be tempting to push your hips forwards (or backwards!) to try to get penetration deeper. If you do, it can place strain on the back and hips. Pay attention to your body for any signals of pain, and readjust to a more neutral position if necessary.

Try It With: a bit of sensation play. The calm, intimate vibe of the Spoon position can really lend itself well to basking in new sensations. Consider adding feathers, vampire gloves, or massage oils to help the position feel more adventurous.

Stand Down Boy Position

Half doggy style, half standing position, the Stand Down Boy keeps both of your hips in a mostly neutral position. The receiving partner simply finds an elevated surface, and gets on their hands and knees in front of it. The penetrating partner then stands behind them, and boom: you're good to go!

Be Careful if: Your hips don't align. You might be tempted to tilt your hips or bring your legs further apart (or narrower) in order to get the right height. Don't. Instead, find a different surface (like a chair or couch instead of a bed) that provides a better height for the two of you.

Try It With: a bit of bondage. Since both of you are relatively stationary in this sex position, this can be a great fit a bit of bondage. The penetrating partner can wear ankle cuffs, or the receiving partner could wear wrist cuffs or nipple clamps. It can add a bit of extra "taboo" eroticism to your play.

The Deckchair Position

Keeping both of your legs (mostly) together and your hips at (mostly) 90-degree angles, the Deckchair Position can be a great experimental position if you both have the energy to try something new. What it lacks in thrusting depth it makes up for in adventurous creativity.

Be Careful with: your movements. Some people may try to get deep penetration out of this position, and that can lead to trying to push the body too far in one direction. This position may not offer deep penetration if you're trying to be careful with your hip joints.

Try It With: Nuru massage gel or massage oil. You can take a lot of the strain out of the Deckchair position by simply ensuring that both of your bodies can glide against one another. By oiling up the receiver's back and the penetrator's legs, there's a slippery surface that allows the receiver to slide, back-and-forth, along their lover's legs to facilitate penetration.

The Perch Position

Are you comfortable while seated? If so, the Perch Position places both of you, essentially, in a sit! This double-seated option can avoid some of the typical hip strains - though I'll admit the receiver has to do a little bit more of the work here!

Be Careful With: The receiver's body. The penetrating partner is, literally, seated on a chair. The receiver will need to balance on top of the penetrating partner's body. To help make this easier, the penetrating partner should use their arms and provide some strength and support to reduce the strain on the receiver. As always, though, make sure to communicate to ensure the penetrating partner isn't gripping in painful spots!

Try It With: A sex toy that's easy to grip. There's going to be a decent amount of movement in the Perch Position for both partners. Using a sex toy that "anchors" itself onto your body can prevent you from dropping it. You'll be looking at options like the Magic Wand Micro, Hot Octopuss DiGiT, FemmeFunn Dioni, Dame Fin, OhMiBod Rev, or Oxballs Jack't stroker.

The Kneeling Fox Position

With both of you in a kneeling position, the Kneeling Fox can be a great option if kneeling feels comfortable for your hips. The penetrating partner will have a bit more pressure on their hips (with the receiver leaning into them), but this position can be a swap-up from your usual standing, doggy, and laying positions to try something new.

Be Careful With: Your knees. While the Kneeling Fox is gentler on the hips, the folded-leg position can be a bit rough on your knees. Even if you have fantastic knee joints, the folded position will likely put your legs to sleep sooner rather than later. Consider the Kneeling Fox a short pit-stop on your sex position adventure, and plan to transition somewhere else for the bulk of your play.

Try It With: A bit of impact play. This position can feel a bit "primal" - especially if you've been doing doggy style for years! Using a paddle (or just your hand!) to spank your partner's upper back or butt can up the erotic potential. (Avoid spanking near the kidney area!)

Synchronous Friction Position

If today is a bad pain day, don't think you have to have intercourse! Instead, something like the Synchronous Friction Position can allow you both to enjoy some much-needed intimacy without the physical strain of intercourse. Mutual masturbation in this position means you both can be "up close and personal" with the action, and you can each use your free hand to touch one another.

Be Careful If: Raising your leg to wrap it on a partner is also painful. While the Synchronous Friction Position shows both partners wrapping their legs around one another, that's certainly not required! This position can still be enjoyed without intertwining limbs - and that may reduce any strain on the hips as well.

Try It With: Your favorite sex toys! As Synchronous Friction is a mutual masturbation position, it's going to feel best if you use your favorite methods for pleasure. If that's your hands, go for it! If that's a sex toy, go for that too! With ample room between both of your bodies, this can also be a chance to explore new toys meant to work for both of your bodies like a Wild Flower Enby 2, Satisfyer Endless Love, or a Satisfyer Multifun 3. You can pass them back and forth. ;)