Pain at the side of your hip?

Is the side of your hip painful? The gluteals are a group of muscles which form the shape of your buttocks. Gluteal tendinopathy is the most common cause of pain at the side of your hip. This is an irritation of the tendon, which attaches the gluteal muscles to the hip and is often a result of overuse. But don’t worry, tendons are strong and resilient and this pain is due to a reaction to excessive load, not a sign of damage.

Gluteal tendinopathy affects one in four women.

What are the symptoms?

The tendon is sensitive to particular movements at the moment and usually these movements involve:

  • Hip flexion, which occurs in deep squatting or sitting in a low chair.
  • Hip adduction, which occurs when your knee rolls in towards your other knee when you walk, run, step up or squat.
  • Hip external rotation, which occurs when the thigh rotates outwards.
  • If these movements occur in combination the chance of irritation to the painful tendon is especially increased.

How do you manage gluteal tendinopathy?

In the initial painful stages, the aim is to reduce the painful movements described above for a short period of time. A Physiotherapist can help guide you through the following so you can achieve your goals.

  1. Be careful of too much stretching – In the early painful stages, too much gluteal stretching may irritate the tendon further, so be careful of this. You may need to stop stretching, at least for a period of time, to allow the tendon to settle.
  2. Watch the posture of your legs when you do your most painful activity. Is your knee rolling in towards the other knee as you walk, run or step up?
  3. Reduce your exercise to a level where your pain is not aggravated for 24 hours after the activity. Find your threshold and stay below it. Look for an exercise level with minimal pain during and no lasting symptoms. If you wake up the next morning stiff and sore, you have probably done too much the previous day!
  4. Physio prescribed rehabilitation program and a graded return to activity.

Please contact us on 8555 4099 or BOOK ONLINE with one of our Physiotherapists to help you and your painful hip.