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Outer Hip Pain Keeping You From Running, Hiking, or Sleeping Comfortably?
Rebuild your hip’s strength and load tolerance with a personalized, 1-on-1 rehabilitation plan built for active adults.
At Performance Sport & Spine, we help you understand what’s driving your outer hip pain, manage aggravating loads without making you stop moving, and progressively rebuild your capacity so you can return to the activities you love.
✓ Evidence-Informed Sports & Spine Rehabilitation
✓ 1-on-1 Care directly with a Sports Specialist
✓ Progressive, Direct Return to Running & Sport
Does This Sound Familiar?
If outer hip pain is disrupting your active lifestyle, you are not alone.
Gluteal tendinopathy—irritation of the gluteus medius or minimus tendons—makes everyday movement surprisingly frustrating. Symptoms often flare when the hip is exposed to repeated or sudden increases in workload.
You might be dealing with gluteal tendinopathy if you experience:
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Sharp or aching pain on the outside of your hip during or after walking, running, or training
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Burning discomfort when lying on your side at night
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Pain when walking uphill, climbing stairs, or standing on one leg
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A cycle where pain improves with rest, only to return the moment you pick up the pace
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Frustration from being told you just have “weak glutes,” “hip bursitis,” or need to stretch more
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
The good news? You don’t need to stay on the couch.
Rehab isn’t about avoiding movement—it’s about finding the balance between calming down irritation and building the workload your hip can handle.
What Is Gluteal Tendinopathy?
Your gluteal tendons are strong, dense structures designed to support your body weight and absorb force every time your foot strikes the ground.
Problems rarely start from a single injury. Instead, they occur when the total demand placed on the tendon exceeds its current capacity. Sudden changes in training volume, running mileage, elevation, or compressive positions (like crossing your legs or sleeping side-lying) can all trigger symptoms.
You don’t need to diagnose yourself.
Outer hip pain can stem from several underlying issues, including joint irritation, nerve referral, or tendon overload. During your evaluation, we test your movement, strength, side-to-side loading tolerance, and overall training stress to pinpoint exactly what is driving your pain.
Why Stretching Isn’t the Answer
Unfortunately, many people with outer hip pain are told to simply “stretch it out.” But aggressive stretching can place additional compression on an already sensitive gluteal tendon and may irritate your symptoms. Instead of repeatedly stretching into pain, the goal is to reduce unnecessary irritation and progressively build your hip’s strength and ability to tolerate load.
Why Does Outer Hip Pain Keep Coming Back?
Tendon pain thrives on a predictable cycle:
Pain flares up → You rest completely → Pain settles down → You resume running or hiking → The tendon isn’t prepared for the load → Pain flares again.
To break this cycle, we stop relying on passive rest. Instead, we identify the specific factors aggravating your hip and systematically build your strength so your body stays ahead of the demands you place on it.
Our 4-Step Framework for Lasting Relief
1. Identify Your Specific Aggravators
We perform a comprehensive physical evaluation to look at your hip strength, pelvis control, running mechanics, and daily movement habits. We find out exactly what is overstressing the tendon.
2. Modify Load (Without Quitting Activity)
Complete rest causes tendons to lose even more strength. We make targeted adjustments to your training volume, running pace, daily postures, and sleep positions so you stay active while letting the tissue calm down.
3. Progressively Heavy Capacity Building
Once irritation settles, we rebuild the tendon’s structural tolerance. Through tailored isometric loading and progressive resistance training, we strengthen your gluteal complex far beyond basic mat exercises.
4. Real-World Sport & Activity Integration
Rehab doesn’t end when simple exercises stop hurting. We bridge the gap between the clinic and your goals—gradually reintroducing running drills, hill climbing, heavy lifting, or sport-specific demands so you return with total confidence.
A Different Approach to Rehabilitation
| A symptom-focused approach | Our approach |
|---|---|
| Focus primarily on short-term symptom relief | Build strength and load tolerance |
| Reduce activity without a clear progression plan | Modify activity while progressively rebuilding capacity |
| Stop when everyday walking feels better | Continue toward your actual activity goals |
| One-size-fits-all exercises | Exercise selection and progression based on your goals |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to stop running or working out?
Rarely. We focus on modifying your training variables—such as frequency, mileage, surface, or intensity—to keep you moving without continually irritating the tendon.
Is gluteal tendinopathy the same as “hip bursitis”?
Not quite. Gluteal tendinopathy involves the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus tendons, while the bursa is a separate structure in the same region. These conditions can produce overlapping symptoms, which is why a thorough clinical evaluation is important.
How long does recovery usually take?
Tendon tissue adapts progressively over time. While many patients experience relief from night pain and daily walking within weeks, building full loading capacity for running or hiking typically takes a structured 8- to 12-week program.
Do I need an MRI first?
In most cases, no. A thorough clinical evaluation—testing strength, palpation, movement mechanics, and compressive loading—is usually all that’s required to diagnose gluteal tendinopathy and map out an effective plan.
Ready to Rebuild Your Hip?
Stop guessing with generic stretches. Get a clear, progressive plan built around your exact goals.
Performance Sport & Spine
📍 Location: Redmond, WA
📞 Call Us: (425) 896-7151
✉️ Email: info@performancesportspine.com
