Lateral Hip Pain Treatment in Melbourne

Persistent pain on the outside of your hip can make walking, climbing stairs, exercising, sleeping and even lying on your side uncomfortable.

One of the most common causes is gluteal tendinopathy, often referred to clinically as Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS).

At Vitality Chiropractic Australia, we take a comprehensive approach to lateral hip pain. Rather than simply treating the painful area, we look at the factors that may be contributing to excessive load or irritation around the gluteal tendons, including hip strength, movement patterns, training loads, spinal and pelvic mechanics and everyday activities.

Our goal is to help you understand why your hip is painful, reduce unnecessary irritation and progressively rebuild your capacity so you can return to the activities you enjoy.

What Does Gluteal Tendinopathy Feel Like?

Gluteal tendinopathy typically causes pain over the outside of the hip, around or just behind the bony prominence known as the greater trochanter.

Common symptoms include:

Pain on the outside of the hip

You may experience:

• Aching
• Sharp or catching pain
• Tenderness over the side of the hip
• Burning or discomfort
• Pain that increases with certain movements or positions

Pain lying on the affected side

One of the classic features of GTPS is discomfort when lying directly on the affected hip. Some people also experience symptoms when lying on the opposite side because the upper leg may fall across the body and place compression through the lateral hip.

Pain walking or standing

Symptoms may increase with:

• Longer walks
• Standing for prolonged periods
• Walking uphill
• Walking downstairs
• Carrying loads
• Prolonged single-leg standing

Pain with stairs

Climbing stairs requires significant contribution from the hip abductors and extensors and may aggravate a sensitive gluteal tendon.

Pain during running or exercise

Runners and active individuals may notice symptoms during:

• Running
• Hill running
• Lunging
• Squatting
• Step-ups
• Lateral movements
• Jumping
• Change-of-direction activities

Pain after activity

Gluteal tendinopathy can sometimes feel relatively manageable during an activity but become more painful later that day or the following morning. This delayed response is important when determining whether the current training or activity load is appropriate.

Gluteal Tendinopathy vs Trochanteric Bursitis

The terms gluteal tendinopathy, trochanteric bursitis and Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not exactly the same thing. GTPS is a broader clinical description of pain around the greater trochanter. In many people with persistent lateral hip pain, the gluteal tendons are an important source of symptoms. This distinction matters because treatment should not simply focus on reducing inflammation.

For persistent gluteal tendinopathy, rehabilitation generally focuses on:

• Managing aggravating loads
• Improving tendon capacity
• Progressive strengthening
• Improving hip function
• Gradually returning to normal activities

Research supports education combined with targeted exercise as an effective management strategy for gluteal tendinopathy. In a randomised clinical trial, education plus exercise produced better overall improvement than corticosteroid injection or a wait-and-see approach, with benefits maintained at 52 weeks.

How Is Gluteal Tendinopathy Diagnosed?

Gluteal tendinopathy is primarily a clinical diagnosis. At Vitality Chiropractic Australia, your assessment may include an examination of:

Your symptoms

We will consider:

• Where you feel the pain
• When it started
• What aggravates it
• What relieves it
• Whether symptoms are worse at night
• Your response to exercise
• Your response to walking and other daily activities

Hip strength

We may assess the capacity of the muscles around the hip and pelvis, particularly the hip abductors.

Single-leg function

Activities such as single-leg standing, step-downs or other functional movements may help identify deficits in strength, control or load tolerance.

Movement patterns

We may assess how your:

• Hip
• Pelvis
• Lumbar spine
• Knee
• Foot and ankle

contribute to your overall movement strategy.

Lumbar spine and neurological screening

Lateral hip pain can sometimes be confused with pain referred from the lumbar spine or other structures. A comprehensive assessment helps determine whether the symptoms are most consistent with GTPS or whether another source should be investigated.

Gluteal Tendinopathy Treatment

The goal isn’t simply to reduce pain

For persistent gluteal tendinopathy, the long-term objective is to improve the ability of the hip and gluteal tendons to tolerate normal and progressively increasing loads. Current evidence supports exercise as a first-line treatment for clinically diagnosed GTPS, particularly when combined with appropriate education and load management.

At Vitality Chiropractic Australia, treatment may involve several components.

1. Education & Load Management

Understanding your condition is an important part of recovery. You may need to temporarily modify activities that repeatedly aggravate the tendon while maintaining as much normal movement and activity as possible. This might include modifying:

• Walking distances
• Running volume
• Hill walking
• Gym exercises
• Sleeping positions
• Standing habits
• Leg-crossing
• Single-leg loading

The aim is not complete rest. Instead, we aim to find an appropriate level of loading that allows the tendon to recover while maintaining and gradually rebuilding capacity.

3. Improving Hip & Pelvic Control

The gluteal muscles have an important role in controlling the pelvis and femur during movement. Rehabilitation may therefore include exercises designed to improve control during:

• Walking
• Stairs
• Squatting
• Lunging
• Step-downs
• Single-leg movements
• Running

The objective is not to achieve a “perfect” movement pattern, but to improve the person’s ability to tolerate their required activities.

4. Manual Therapy

Hands-on treatment may sometimes be used as an adjunct to an active rehabilitation program. Depending on the individual presentation, this may include treatment directed toward:

• The lumbar spine
• Hip region
• Pelvis
• Surrounding soft tissues

Manual therapy may help reduce symptoms or improve short-term movement tolerance, allowing the person to participate more comfortably in their rehabilitation. However, hands-on treatment is generally best considered as part of a broader management strategy rather than the sole treatment for chronic tendon problems.

Should I Stretch A Gluteal Tendinopathy?

This is an important consideration. Aggressive stretching of the gluteal region is not automatically beneficial. Some traditional hip stretches place the hip into positions of adduction, which can increase compression around the lateral hip. For some people with GTPS, repeatedly pushing into these positions may aggravate symptoms. Rather than automatically prescribing more stretching, rehabilitation should consider:

What movement does this person need, and what level of loading can their tendon currently tolerate?

Mobility work can still have a role when clinically appropriate, but it should complement — rather than replace — progressive strengthening and load management.

How Long Does Gluteal Tendinopathy Take To Recover?

Recovery time varies considerably. Some people experience significant improvement within several weeks, while others with longstanding or more irritable symptoms may require a longer rehabilitation period. Factors that can influence recovery include:

• How long symptoms have been present
• Initial tendon capacity
• Current activity levels
• Training demands
• Sleep disruption
• Overall strength
• Ability to modify aggravating loads
• Consistency with rehabilitation
• Other hip, lumbar or lower-limb conditions

Importantly, improvement does not necessarily mean that all symptoms disappear immediately. A more useful measure is whether your capacity is progressively increasing.

For example:

“I can walk further.”

“I can sleep on that side for longer.”

“I can climb stairs with less pain.”

“I can train again.”

“My hip doesn’t flare up the day after exercise.”

These functional improvements are important signs that your rehabilitation is moving in the right direction.

Your Vitality Recovery Approach

At Vitality Chiropractic Australia, we don’t believe that recovery from gluteal tendinopathy should simply involve repeatedly treating the painful spot. Our approach is based around understanding the individual’s presentation and progressively restoring capacity.

Assess

We identify the likely source of your lateral hip pain and assess the factors that may be contributing to it.

Calm

We help you identify and modify excessive or unnecessary aggravating loads.

Build

We progressively strengthen the muscles and tissues responsible for controlling and loading the hip.

Restore

We gradually reintroduce the activities that matter to you.

Maintain

The final goal is not simply to get the pain down. It is to build enough capacity that you can confidently manage your normal activities, exercise and lifestyle.

The Vitality Gluteal Tendinopathy Recovery Blueprint

A structured roadmap for rebuilding hip capacity

If your gluteal tendinopathy has become persistent, recurring or difficult to manage, a structured rehabilitation program can help provide greater clarity around the recovery process. The Vitality Gluteal Tendinopathy Recovery Blueprint is designed to provide a structured, education-based roadmap for progressing from symptom management toward restored strength, capacity and function.

The Blueprint covers key areas such as:

• Understanding gluteal tendinopathy
• Load management
• Symptom monitoring
• Recovery principles
• Progressive strengthening
• Functional capacity
• Return to exercise
• Long-term maintenance

Rather than relying on passive treatment alone, the Blueprint focuses on helping you understand how to progressively rebuild your capacity.

Explore the Vitality Gluteal Tendinopathy Recovery Blueprint →

The Recovery Blueprint provides general educational and exercise guidance and does not replace an individual clinical assessment.

Book A Gluteal Tendinopathy Assessment In Melbourne

If pain on the outside of your hip is affecting your walking, sleep, exercise or everyday activities, the first step is determining why the hip is painful and what level of loading it can currently tolerate.

At Vitality Chiropractic Australia, we can assess your hip, lumbar spine and surrounding movement patterns and help develop an individualised plan for improving your symptoms and rebuilding your capacity.

Located in Mill Park, Melbourne.

Book Your Appointment →

Clinical Disclaimer

The information provided on this page is intended for general educational purposes and should not be considered a diagnosis or substitute for individual healthcare advice.

Lateral hip pain can have several potential causes. An appropriate clinical assessment is required to determine the most likely source of symptoms and the most appropriate management approach.

If your symptoms are severe, worsening, associated with significant trauma, neurological changes or other concerning symptoms, further medical assessment may be required.

Gluteal Tendon Pain Frequently Asked Questions