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Hip · Gluteal Tendinopathy (Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome)

Outer-Hip Tendon Pain

Irritation of the buttock-muscle tendons where they attach to the bony point on the side of your hip. They’ve been overloaded and squeezed against that bone. It’s not the old ‘bursitis’ label.

The tendons get compressed against the bone when the hip falls into adduction (legs crossed, hanging on one hip, lying on the side) and overloaded faster than they’re conditioned for. That’s why the fix is reducing compression + progressive abductor loading, not stretching or rest.

How it typically shows up

Pain over the bony point on the side of the hip (the greater trochanter), tender to press and worse lying on that side or standing on one leg, with deep-joint, groin, mechanical, and back-referred sources excluded.

How long recovery takes

This responds well to understanding it plus gradually strengthening the muscles on the side of your hip. That combination works far better than waiting it out. Expect steady improvement over weeks to a few months, and flare-ups along the way are normal.

The phased recovery approach

  1. Phase 1 · 1–2 weeks

    Calm

    Take the squeeze off the side of your hip and start gentle hold-style loading now, with no stretching of the outer hip.

    What you get back: calmer days on your feet.

    • Standing Isometric Hip Abduction — 3–4 sets × 10–20s hold · Stand tall next to a wall with the outside of one foot close to it.
    • Double-Leg Bridge — 1–3 sets × 8–10 reps · Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
    • Graded Walking — 1 sets × 300–600s hold · Walk on flat ground at an easy pace, keeping your stride smooth and level.
    • Sit-to-Stand — 2–3 sets × 8–10 reps · Sit tall on a chair with your feet flat and hip-width apart.

  2. Phase 2 · 1–2 weeks

    Calm

    Take the squeeze off the side of your hip and start gentle hold-style loading now, with no stretching of the outer hip.

    What you get back: calmer days on your feet.

    • Standing Isometric Hip Abduction — 3–4 sets × 10–20s hold · Stand tall next to a wall with the outside of one foot close to it.
    • Double-Leg Bridge — 1–3 sets × 8–10 reps · Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
    • Graded Walking — 1 sets × 300–600s hold · Walk on flat ground at an easy pace, keeping your stride smooth and level.
    • Sit-to-Stand — 2–3 sets × 8–10 reps · Sit tall on a chair with your feet flat and hip-width apart.

  3. Phase 3 · 2–6 weeks

    Rebuild

    Start loading the side of your hip so it can hold you steady on one leg again.

    What you get back: standing on one leg without the ache.

    • Standing Isometric Hip Abduction — 2–3 sets × 15–30s hold · Stand tall next to a wall with the outside of one foot close to it.
    • Offset Bridge — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps · Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
    • Offset Squat — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps · Stand with most of your weight on one leg and your fingertips resting on a support.
    • Sidestepping — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps · Set up in a small athletic stance with your knees slightly bent.

  4. Phase 4 · 2–6 weeks

    Rebuild

    Start loading the side of your hip so it can hold you steady on one leg again.

    What you get back: standing on one leg without the ache.

    • Standing Isometric Hip Abduction — 2–3 sets × 15–30s hold · Stand tall next to a wall with the outside of one foot close to it.
    • Offset Bridge — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps · Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
    • Offset Squat — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps · Stand with most of your weight on one leg and your fingertips resting on a support.
    • Sidestepping — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps · Set up in a small athletic stance with your knees slightly bent.

  5. Phase 5 · 3–6 weeks

    Back to daily life

    Get your hip comfortable on one leg so walking, stairs, and lying on that side feel easy again.

    What you get back: more comfortable walking, stairs, and side-lying.

    • Graded Walking — 1 sets × 900–1800s hold · Walk on flat ground at an easy pace, keeping your stride smooth and level.
    • Offset Squat — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps · Stand with most of your weight on one leg and your fingertips resting on a support.
    • Standing Band Abduction — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps · Loop a band around both ankles and stand tall next to a support.
    • Sidestepping — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps · Set up in a small athletic stance with your knees slightly bent.

  6. Phase 6 · 2–6 weeks

    Back to comfortable sleep

    Take the nighttime squeeze off the sore tendon while keeping your hip strong enough to settle through the night.

    What you get back: nights through without the outside-hip pain.

    • Supported Sleep Position — 1 sets × 120–300s hold · Lie on your comfortable side with a pillow between your knees, or lie on your back with a pillow under your knees.
    • Standing Hip Abduction — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps · Stand tall next to a counter, resting a fingertip on it only if needed.
    • Standing Band Abduction — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps · Loop a band around both ankles and stand tall next to a support.
    • Offset Squat — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps · Stand with most of your weight on one leg and your fingertips resting on a support.

  7. Phase 7 · 2–4 weeks

    Landing readiness

    Teach the side of your hip to absorb landings again before the first real run.

    What you get back: controlled pain-free landings.

    • Low Step-Up — 3 sets × 10 reps · Stand facing a low step.
    • Offset Squat — 3 sets × 10 reps · Stand with most of your weight on one leg and your fingertips resting on a support.
    • Standing Band Abduction — 3 sets × 10 reps · Loop a band around both ankles and stand tall next to a support.
    • Standing Hip Abduction — 3 sets × 10 reps · Stand tall next to a counter, resting a fingertip on it only if needed.

  8. Phase 8 · 3–8 weeks

    Back to running

    Trade the walk breaks for one steady easy run, and grow it only when the side of your hip settles by the next day.

    What you get back: running again.

    • Easy Continuous Run — 1 sets × 300–1800s hold · Warm up with a brisk walk, then run without walk breaks.
    • Machine / Cable Hip Abduction — 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps · Set up on a seated abduction machine, or use a cable with an ankle strap.
    • Standing Band Abduction — 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps · Loop a band around both ankles and stand tall next to a support.
    • Sidestepping — 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps · Set up in a small athletic stance with your knees slightly bent.

  9. Phase 9 · 3–8 weeks

    Back to the gym

    Load your hips heavier for the gym while keeping the side of your hip out of the squeeze.

    What you get back: lower-body training without the lateral-hip ache.

    • Machine / Cable Hip Abduction — 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps · Set up on a seated abduction machine, or use a cable with an ankle strap.
    • Standing Band Abduction — 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps · Loop a band around both ankles and stand tall next to a support.
    • Sidestepping — 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps · Set up in a small athletic stance with your knees slightly bent.
    • Barbell Hip Thrust — 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps · Rest your shoulders on a bench with a padded barbell across your hips.

Exact exercises, sets and progression depend on your severity, equipment and goal — this is the shape of the program, not a one-size prescription.

What matters while you recover

  • Take the squeeze off the tendon

    Keep the hip out of the squeeze: sit hips-wide, knees apart, not crossed, and don’t hang on one hip. At night, sleep off the sore side with a pillow between your knees.

  • Skip the stretches

    Skip the ITB and glute stretches. Pulling the hip across your body is exactly what compresses this tendon and flares it. Strength, not stretch, is the fix here.

  • This responds to exercise

    Strengthening beats waiting it out, and unlike a quick fix the benefit lasts. Give it weeks and expect ups and downs along the way.

Common questions

Should I stretch it?
No. The usual ITB/‘glute’ stretches pull the hip across the body, which compresses the sore tendon and tends to make it worse. Strengthening, not stretching, is the fix here.
Is some discomfort during the exercises okay?
Yes, up to about 5/10 is fine as long as it settles by that night and isn’t worse the next morning.
Is it bursitis?
‘Trochanteric bursitis’ is an older name for the same outer-hip pain pattern. The tendon is usually the main load-sensitive structure, so the plan manages it as a tendinopathy.

Go deeper

Related hip conditions

Sources