Lateral hip pain
What is Lateral hip pain
Lateral hip pain is a common condition that affects both young adults and those in later life, especially women over 50. It can impact daily activities, such as walking, dressing, and sleeping, but the good news is that it’s rarely serious and can be managed with the right care.
Lateral hip pain typically occurs on the outer side of your upper thigh, often around the bony point. It may feel like a sharp pain or a dull ache down the side of the thigh. This pain is often caused by irritation of the tendon connecting your buttock muscles (glutes) to the thigh bone. It can occur without any groin or buttock pain.
You may have heard this condition called by other names, like trochanteric bursitis, gluteal tendinopathy, or greater trochanteric pain syndrome. All of these describe soft tissue issues on the side of the hip.
Symptoms may include:
- Pain or tenderness on the outer side of the upper thigh
- Stiffness, especially in the morning or after sitting for a while
- Difficulty lying on either side at night
- Pain when walking, especially uphill, on stairs, or on uneven ground
- Pain when standing on one leg (e.g., when dressing)
- Discomfort when starting an activity, which may ease but return after exercise
Factors that may play a role in the development of lateral hip pain include:
- A sudden increase in activity
- Menopausal changes in women aged 40 to 60
- An inactive lifestyle, leading to weak glute muscles
- Being overweight, particularly around the middle.
- Certain health conditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol.
- Smoking
- A direct fall onto the outer hip.
- Sometimes after hip replacement surgery.
- Life changes, including periods of stress, illness or the feeling run down.
While lateral hip pain can be challenging, there are effective treatments and strategies to help you manage the condition and regain your mobility and comfort.
Ask for an Urgent GP Appointment or Call 111 If
- You have severe hip pain and generally feel unwell and have a high temperature or feel hot and shivery.
Call 999 or go to A&E if:
- You have severe hip pain and are unable to walk or put weight on your leg after a fall or injury.
4 facts about lateral hip pain
It is ok for it to be sore during exercise as you are training a sore area. The tendon needs time to adapt to new activity. Be regular and patient with training and gradually building up over time.
Evidence shows that loading the tendon (strengthening exercises which challenge them) is the best treatment for this condition.
Prolonged resting is not good for general health or for the health of the tendon. Tendons stay healthy by using them regularly and can work better by gradually using them more over time.
Lateral hip pain is a “clinical diagnosis”, i.e. one that is made in clinic with you and the physiotherapist, taking a careful history and testing the area. Routine scanning of the area is therefore not required. Scans also don’t predict how much pain you feel, and image findings are often unchanged when people do get better. Scans are usually only needed if you have suffered a traumatic injury such as a fall or when symptoms are atypical.