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Outer Hip Pain Keeping You From Running, Getting Dressed, or Sleeping Comfortably?
Does This Sound Familiar?
If outer hip pain is disrupting your day, you’re not alone.
Gluteal tendinopathy can make everyday activities painful, especially when your hip is exposed to repeated or increased loading.
You may have gluteal tendinopathy if you experience:
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Pain on the outside of your hip with walking, running, or exercise
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Pain when lying on your affected side
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Discomfort with hills or stairs
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Pain when standing on one leg
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Symptoms that improve with rest but return when activity increases
And if you’ve been told you simply have “weak glutes” or need to stretch more, there may be more to the story.
What Causes Gluteal Tendinopathy?
Gluteal tendinopathy typically develops due to excessive compression or overload of the gluteal tendons. Some common contributing factors include.
- Repetitive movements that strain the hip tendons
- Prolonged sitting with legs crossed
- Poor biomechanics in activities like walking or running
- Weak hip stabilizing muscles
The good news?
You don’t necessarily need to stop moving or avoid the activities you enjoy.
The goal is to find the right balance between managing irritation and progressively rebuilding your hip’s ability to tolerate the demands of your everyday life and activities.
Patient Success Stories
“I suffered from what I now know to be gluteal tendinopathy for over a year. I had been to 3 different physical therapists without positive results and felt like I was at the end of my rope. Dr. Zach’s approach to tendinopathy and load management was completely different. His explanation made so much sense, and within weeks my pain decreased significantly. I finally feel strong, supported, and back in control!” Amy S
Why Does Your Pain Keep Coming Back?
It’s not always as simple as having a “weak glute.”
Your symptoms can be influenced by several factors, including:
- Changes in your activity level (Load management issues)
- Sudden increases in running, walking, or training
- The amount of load your hip can currently tolerate
- Positions that place additional compression around the outside of the hip
- Strength deficits in the glutes and hips
The key is identifying what’s driving the overload.
This approach is supported by clinical research. A randomized clinical trial of 204 people with gluteal tendinopathy found that education combined with targeted exercise produced greater improvement and lower pain than a wait-and-see approach at 8 weeks, with benefits maintained at 52 weeks. LEAP TRIAL
How We Treat Gluteal Tendinopathy
1. Understand What’s Irritating Your Hip
Start with the right diagnosis and strategy.
We’ll evaluate your symptoms, movement, strength, daily activities, training habits, and the demands you’re placing on your hip.
From there, we’ll identify the factors that may be contributing to your symptoms and develop a plan around your specific goals.
2. Reduce Unnecessary Irritation
Keep moving while managing the load.
You don’t necessarily need complete rest.
We’ll help you modify the activities, positions, or training variables that are aggravating your symptoms while keeping you as active as possible.
This may include adjustments to training volume, running, walking, sleeping positions, or other daily activities.
The goal isn’t to avoid loading your hip forever.
It’s to find the right amount of load for where you are now.
3. Progressively Build Strength
Increase what your hip can handle.
As your symptoms become more manageable, we’ll progressively challenge the muscles and tendons around your hip.
Your program may include isometric exercises, strengthening exercises, and progressively heavier resistance depending on your current capacity and goals.
The exact exercises aren’t the point.
Progression is.
We’ll gradually increase the demands on your hip as your strength and tolerance improve.
4. Return to Your Activities
Build toward real-world demands.
Rehabilitation shouldn’t stop simply because your hip feels better during basic exercises.
We’ll progressively prepare you for the activities you actually want to do.
That might mean:
- Running
- Hiking
- Lifting
- Sports
- Walking longer distances
- Climbing stairs
- Returning to your normal workouts
The goal is to help you build the confidence and physical capacity to handle the activities that matter to you.
Why Your Treatment Is Different
We’re not just trying to make your hip feel better.
We’re helping you build the capacity to do more.
Individualized Care
Your rehabilitation plan is based on your symptoms, current abilities, lifestyle, and goals.
Progressive Rehabilitation
Your exercises and activity plan evolve as your strength and tolerance improve.
Active Recovery
Where appropriate, we’ll help you stay involved in the activities you enjoy while managing symptoms.
Performance-Focused Care
Whether you’re a competitive athlete, recreational runner, weekend hiker, or simply want to move comfortably again, your rehabilitation is built around what you want to get back to doing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to stop running or working out completely?
Not necessarily.
Complete rest isn’t always required. Depending on your symptoms, we may modify your training volume, frequency, intensity, terrain, or other variables while progressively rebuilding your hip’s capacity.
Your physical therapist can help determine what level of activity is appropriate for you.
Is gluteal tendinopathy the same as hip bursitis?
Not exactly.
Gluteal tendinopathy involves the tendons of the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. Outer hip pain can also involve the surrounding tissues, including the bursae, and these conditions can produce overlapping symptoms.
The term “hip bursitis” has historically been used to describe many cases of outer hip pain. A thorough evaluation can help determine what’s contributing to your symptoms.
How long does gluteal tendinopathy take to improve?
Everyone is different.
Your timeline can depend on how long you’ve had symptoms, your current activity level, the severity of your symptoms, and how much load your hip can currently tolerate.
Rather than focusing on an arbitrary timeline, we’ll help you establish appropriate milestones and progressively work toward your goals.
What exercises help gluteal tendinopathy?
Strengthening exercises are an important part of rehabilitation, but there isn’t one exercise that works for everyone.
Your program should be based on your current strength, symptoms, activity demands, and goals.
As your capacity improves, your exercises and the amount of resistance can progress with you.
Can I sleep on my side?
Side-lying can aggravate symptoms for some people because of the pressure placed around the outside of the hip.
Your physical therapist can help you identify comfortable sleeping positions and strategies for reducing unnecessary irritation while your hip becomes more tolerant to load.
Do I need an MRI?
Not necessarily.
Many cases of gluteal tendinopathy can be assessed clinically through your history and physical examination. Imaging may be appropriate in certain situations when additional information is needed.
Your evaluation will help determine whether further testing is warranted.
Can I exercise while recovering?
In many cases, yes.
The goal is often to find the appropriate level of activity rather than avoiding movement altogether.
We’ll help you determine what you can safely continue doing and how to progressively increase your activity as your hip’s capacity improves.
Ready to Get Back to Doing What You Love?
Stop guessing. Start rebuilding.
You don’t have to figure out persistent hip pain on your own.
At Performance Sport & Spine, we’ll help you understand what’s contributing to your symptoms and create a clear, progressive plan designed around your goals.
Whether you want to get back to running, hiking, lifting, sports, or simply moving comfortably through your day, we’re here to help you move forward.
Performance Sport & Spine
Call Us: (425) 896-7151
Location: Redmond, WA
Email: info@performancesportspine.com
