Lateral Hip Pain Causes & Treatment
Lateral hip pain (or pain felt on the outside of your hip) is a common condition seen in distance runners and women over the age of 40. This condition is commonly referred to as ‘hip bursitis’, ‘gluteal tendinopathy’ or ‘greater trochanteric pain syndrome’. Patients who struggle with lateral hip pain may also find their hip is tender, or sore to the touch, is provoked by crossing their legs, sleeping on the affected side, or ascending steep hills.
Additionally, patients report their pain to extend down the outside of their thigh and occasionally to the outside of their knee. The cause of lateral hip pain is thought to be due to compression and irritation of soft tissue structures in this region. This can be influenced by weakness and tightness of the hip and thigh musculature and therefore affects the positioning of the pelvis and hip during certain activities of daily living. Main forms of treatment include avoiding aggravating activities or provocative positions and improving the capacity of the hip musculature.
If you struggle with lateral hip pain, speak to one of our Physiotherapists about what could be
causing this and appropriate strategies for management.
Luke Chetcuti
Sports Physiotherapist
Brukner & Khan (2017), Brukner & Khan’s Clinical Sport Medicine (5 th Edition), Volume 1, Injuries