Lateral hip pain
Dealing with lateral hip pain
Consistent and progressive activity over time
Continuing a walking or running programme is beneficial for your gluteal tendons. They don’t like long periods of inactivity (underloading) or suddenly doing too much (overloading). Consistency is key.
Find a level that challenges you but is repeatable each day. Gradually increase intensity as your tendons adjust. Avoid steep hills, fast speeds, and uneven terrain early on — work towards these over time.
Think of your recovery as climbing a ladder. Start at a level that matches your current fitness and symptoms, then gradually build up. For example:
- Start with a gentle walk on flat ground for a short distance
- Slowly increase distance
- Add gentle slopes
- Increase pace
- Work up to bigger hills, and so on.
Progressing steadily and gradually will help you return to normal activities efficiently because you want your progress to look this:
and NOT like this:
Keeping active
If the intensity of pain is such that you cannot tolerate your normal activities, such as running or walking, then consider other ways of maintaining your fitness in the meantime.
There is no set approach that has been shown to be the best so feel free to try different types of exercise and activity. Be guided by what you enjoy and what you feel able to start. Examples include cycling, swimming, lifting weights or going to an aqua-aerobics class.
If you are local to Sheffield and you would like support to increase your physical activity, then you can:
- Self-refer to Move Well for personalised support and access to a wide range of physical activity opportunities, tailored to your specific needs and preferences.
- Find sport, leisure and activity groups in your local area.
- For more activity tips, visit our physical activity page under the wider health section of the website.
Simple activity modification
The hip area may be more sensitive to some positions or movements, so minimising these in the short term, will prevent the tendon from being unnecessarily aggravated. These include:
- standing with all your weight on one leg for long periods of time.
- crossing your legs when sitting.
- sitting in deep or low chairs.
- lying on the affected side for long periods.
- Lying on your unaffected side (you may find it more comfortable to place a thick pillow between your knees).
- stretches aimed at the glutes or side of the hip as these can increase symptoms.
Your lifestyle
A healthy body speeds up recovery. A balanced diet, regular activity, not smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight all help. Small lifestyle changes can improve recovery and reduce future pain. For more on healthy lifestyle, check out our Wider health section.
Heat or ice packs
Heat packs
A warm pack can help ease muscle tightness and pain. Use a microwaveable wheat bag or hot water bottle wrapped in a towel for 15-20 minutes, 2-3 times a day. Avoid using heat on swollen areas.
Ice packs
Ice can numb pain. Apply an ice pack (or frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel) for up to 10 minutes, 2-3 times a day.
Pain medication
Pain medication can help you stay mobile. Consult your GP or pharmacist for advice.
Your Action Plan
This tendon pain leaflet, created by specialist physiotherapists, includes an action plan which you can personalise to your own situation and goals.
Further Treatment
Physiotherapy
Not everyone needs to see a physiotherapist. Many people improve with rest and gradually returning to normal activities. However, some may benefit from a more tailored programme.
Research shows that physiotherapy is the best first-line treatment for lateral hip pain. This usually includes targeted exercises designed for your needs. Recovery times vary, but typically, you may start to see improvements after 3-6 months of consistent rehabilitation, with full recovery taking 6-12 months. Be patient, and work closely with your physiotherapist to get the best results.
Steroid injections
Some treatments, like steroid injections, have been used for this condition, but research shows they are less effective in the long term and may even harm the tendon. A recent clinical trial found that an education and exercise approach had significantly better success rates than steroid injections, both short- and long-term.