Do you get pain on the outside of your hip? Is it tender to touch and gets worse with or after activity?
You may have a case of what we call ‘gluteal tendinopathy’ (aka lateral hip pain).
I bet you’re thinking – what does that mean?
What Are Gluteal Muscles & Tendons?
The gluteal muscles are a group of three muscles that form your buttocks and they work to move our legs.
After lots of repetitive loading, the tendons of these muscles (which attach to the outside of our hips) don’t heal as well as they should and overtime, they can gradually degenerate. This is what causes the pain and discomfort around the outside of your hip.
Our tendons are usually filled with water to help them transfer force and absorb shock, however in tendinopathy, the tendon gets ‘wrung out’ (like a towel) and no longer works as well as it should.
As a result, this increases the strain on the tendon.
Who Does Gluteal Tendinopathy (aka Lateral Hip Pain) Affect?
Gluteal tendinopathy is an ‘overuse’ injury, so as a result it becomes more common with age or a sudden increase in activity.
If you have been inactive for a while and you’ve just taken up a new form of exercise, this could be the cause of your hip pain.
Runners are also more prone to gluteal tendinopathy due to the high load and repetitive nature of running.
What Can I Do About My Hip Pain?
Getting on top of your hip pain will take a multi-factorial approach. The first step is to reduce the pain with hands on treatment, non steroidal anti inflammatories (check with your medical professional), heat or ice (depending on your situation).
The next step is to avoid things that make it worse – this will be personalised to you but may include sitting, walking or standing for long periods of time.
If you’re sitting down for work all day, try to get up and stretch your legs every hour if you can.
Another common habit that can make your hip pain worse is crossing your legs.
Whether this is crossing at the ankles or the knees, this increases the strain on the tendons in your hip.
Try to avoid crossing your legs for a week and see how your pain goes.
Once your pain has reduced, you can gradually get back into your usual activities.
When Should I See A Physiotherapist?
If your pain persists and begins to impact your day-to-day activities, then it might be a good idea to see your local physiotherapist for some extra hands-on treatment and guidance.
Getting on top of your hip pain sooner rather than later will make for a quicker recovery!
Once we have gotten on top of your pain, we will also give you some strengthening exercises to help prevent any flare ups.
Our physios in Grange love helping people of all ages with their hip pain.
Whether it’s getting you back to work, golf, the garden or picking up the kids, we are passionate about helping you get out of pain and back to doing the things you love.
I hope this post has helped and feel free to ring or email us with any questions! We’d be happy to help!
You can also book an appointment online to get your hip pain sorted here.
We treat patients from our local areas of Grange, Henley Beach, West Lakes, Seaton and Fulham Gardens.
