Gluteal Tendinopathy: Understanding Hip Pain on the Outside
Pain on the outside of your hip can be debilitating, making activities like walking, climbing stairs, or even sleeping on your side a challenge. While often mislabelled as "bursitis," one of the most common causes of this type of pain is gluteal tendinopathy.
This condition involves the tendons of your gluteal muscles, particularly the gluteus medius and minimus, which are vital for hip stability. Osteopathy offers a comprehensive approach to managing gluteal tendinopathy by addressing not just the painful tendons, but the underlying biomechanical factors that led to the problem.
Key Facts About Gluteal Tendinopathy
Gluteal tendinopathy is the most prevalent disorder causing lateral hip pain, especially in women over 40. It is a condition of the tendon itself, involving degeneration and failed healing, rather than simple inflammation (which is why the older term "tendinitis" is less accurate). It can significantly impair walking, standing on one leg, and other weight-bearing activities due to the role these muscles play in pelvic stability.
Common Causes and Risk Factors
Gluteal tendinopathy is typically an overuse injury caused by compression and overload of the tendons. Key factors include:
Tendon Compression: This is a primary mechanism. The gluteal tendons pass over the bony prominence of the greater trochanter on the hip. Positions or activities that compress this area can irritate the tendon. This includes: sleeping on your side, sitting with your legs crossed, and standing with your weight shifted onto one hip (hip-hitching).
Sudden Increase in Load: A rapid uptick in walking, running, or climbing activities without adequate conditioning can overload the tendons.
Biomechanical Weakness: Weakness in the gluteus medius and minimus muscles means they cannot effectively control pelvic movement during walking, leading to excessive strain on their tendons.
Altered Gait: Issues elsewhere in the body, such as in the lower back, opposite hip, knee, or foot, can change your walking pattern and increase stress on the hip.
Other Factors: Age-related changes in tendon health, being overweight, and a history of low back pain can also contribute.
Common Signs and Symptoms
Pain is localised to the outside of the hip (the upper thigh bone) and can sometimes radiate down the outside of the thigh. Tenderness when pressing on the bony point on the side of your hip. Pain that is worse with walking, climbing stairs, or running; standing on the affected leg; and lying on the affected side. Stiffness in the hip, particularly after periods of rest.
How Can Osteopathy Help with Gluteal Tendinopathy?
Osteopathic management focuses on reducing pain, modifying load, and correcting the biomechanical faults that are overstressing the tendons.
During your initial consultation, we will take a detailed history of your pain, activities, sleep habits, and daily postures; perform a physical examination to assess your hip's range of motion, muscle strength, and identify the specific tender points; and conduct a functional and biomechanical assessment of your posture, gait, and the mobility of your lower back, pelvis, knees, and feet.
What Does Osteopathic Treatment Involve?
Using a range of gentle, hands-on techniques, we aim to reduce pain and muscle tension; improve joint mobility; address compensatory patterns; and provide personalised education and load management advice, including activity modification, avoiding compression positions, and a progressive exercise rehabilitation program to strengthen gluteal muscles.
When to Seek Further Medical Help
Please consult your GP for a referral if you experience severe, unremitting pain that prevents weight-bearing; hip pain following a significant fall or trauma; night pain that is severe and unrelated to position; signs of infection; or numbness, tingling, or weakness that travels down your leg.
Disclaimer: This blog post provides general information only and is not intended as a substitute for professional health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a registered health practitioner for diagnosis and treatment of health conditions. Individual results from osteopathic treatment may vary.
