Gluteal Tendinopathy – Otherwise known as Lateral Hip Pain

By Megan Thomas, Senior Physiotherapist

Have you ever laid awake at night flat on your back with the outside of your leg aching as you can’t sleep on it?

It even hurts when you are lying on your “good” side.

Or are you limited in walking up stairs, down slopes or for long distances as the outside of your leg and bottom hurt?

The most common diagnosis of your pain is your gluteal (bottom) tendons i.e. lateral hip pain.

Lateral hip pain associated with local soft tissue pathology at the greater trochanter affects

23.5% of post-menopausal women
10-25% of the general population
8.5% of men between the ages of 50-79

This condition has a substantial impact on sleep quality, physical activity and an impact on quality of life equal to that of severe hip osteoarthritis (Fearon et al 2014).

The diagnosis of gluteal tendinopathy if often delayed due to misdiagnosis or lack of recognition of its importance on quality of life.

Our Cairns physios are able to easily assess and diagnose the cause of your lateral hip pain and determine if in fact you have gluteal tendon pathology.