• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Human Movement

Injury Rehab and Sports Performance Training, City of London

  • About
  • Process
    • Our Process
    • Can I help you?
  • Methods
    • Muscle Activation Techniques
    • Resistance Training
  • Programmes
    • In person programme
    • Online programme
  • Resources
    • 9 key principles to help you recover from pain and injury
    • Everything you need to know about exercise at 50 and beyond
  • Blog
  • Contact

GTPS: Understanding lateral hip pain and the best exercises for relief

September 25, 2024 by Paul

In this post we discuss lateral hip pain and the best exercises for relief and recovery. 

What is lateral hip pain? 

Lateral hip pain or greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) as it’s now called, is pain that’s localised to an area just above the greater trochanter (the bone that sticks out at the side of your hip).

In some cases people will also experience soreness down the outside of their leg and up into the buttock. 

It’s more common in the middle aged and women are more likely to suffer with it than men. It can affect both the sedentary and the active alike, with distance runners being particularly prone to the condition. 

Sufferers will feel a point of exquisite tenderness if the area just above the greater trochanter is pressed They’ll also feel pain when asked to stand on the affected leg for longer than 30 seconds. 

What causes greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS)?

If you’ve been diagnosed with GTPS then the most likely source of pain is the tendon of one or more of the hip abductor muscles. Usually gluteus medius or gluteus minimus. In some cases the greater trochanteric bursa is also involved. 

The hip abductor muscles provide lateral support to the pelvis. This is particularly important in activities which require you to land on a single leg like running and jumping. 

The precise cause can be difficult to pin down, although a rapid increase in activity may be responsible in some cases. In others, it’s likely that structural differences like the width of the pelvis play a role. This may explain why women are more susceptible than men.

Ultimately it’s probably a combination of factors that leads to disruption of the tendons. 

What is the best treatment for GTPS?

Essentially GTPS is a tendon issue in the majority of cases. Tendons are the structures that attach muscles to bone. Like muscles they require force to remain healthy. 

When a muscle has been either overloaded or under used, it’s ability to generate force is compromised. If this situation is allowed to persist the tendon becomes affected. 

Most tendon issues are now described as tendinopathies. This is because inflammation isn’t considered to be the primary issue. A more accurate picture is one of disorganisation. 

So in order to improve the tendon’s health you need to stimulate a reorganisation. How do you do that? By placing just the right amount of force through it. 

Research on gluteal tendinopathy

Whilst the majority of tendon research has been carried out on the Achilles tendon, there are some studies on gluteal tendon issues. 

This review compared the effect of exercise to both ‘wait and see’ and corticosteroid injections. They found progressive loading of the tendon to be superior to both rest and corticosteroids in both short and long term function. 

Exercise also demonstrated a higher success rate both in the short and long term for pain reduction when compared to corticosteroid injections. 

This recently published review looked at 6 trials which included 733 patients overall. They found a strong recommendation for exercise as a first line treatment in patients diagnosed with GTPS. Again exercise was found to be superior to corticosteroid injections. 

Interestingly none of the included trials featured exercises specific to the involved tendon and all used home exercise programmes. Whilst this approach is easier to scale by health providers, it might not be the ideal way to rehabilitate tendons. 

This review looked more closely at the most effective dose of resistance training to rehabilitate tendons. They included studies on gluteal tendons as well as those on shoulder, elbow, ankle and knee tendons. 

The authors found evidence that higher loads using resistance training equipment and not just body weight produced superior results. This combined with longer rest periods between sessions promoted faster adaptation in the tendon. 

What is the best exercise for gluteal tendinopathy?

Whilst we are still some way from a gold standard exercise for treating gluteal tendinopathy, it seems we have some clues as to the direction to take.

We know the role of both gluteus medius and gluteus minimus is to move the leg out to the side. This is called hip abduction. 

If you wish to target these muscles and their tendons, this is the direction you should move the affected leg.  

The key is to find a starting point that doesn’t create a significant flare in your symptoms for longer than 24 hours after the exercise. Some soreness immediately afterwards isn’t a cause for concern. 

Research has shown that progress can be made using both isometric and isotonic muscle contractions of the hip adductor muscles. In other words both static holds and movement works to improve gluteal tendon issues. 

That particular study used holds in the position below as well as movement into and out of this position.

best exercise for lateral hip pain

Summary

Lateral hip pain or GTPS is caused by the tendons of gluteus medius or gluteal minimus in most cases. 

Strengthening exercises directed both at the hip abductors and more generally at the muscles of the lower body have been shown to be effective. More so than either corticosteroid injections or shockwave therapy. 

Start easy and monitor your symptoms. As long as you’re not experiencing an increase in pain for longer then 24 hours after exercise, you’re on the right track. 

Filed Under: Rehabilitation, Training

Is it your age or your training? How best to exercise as you age
First principles approach to pain and muscle tightness for more effective solutions

Primary Sidebar

Not making progress with your rehab?

Subscribe below and find out how to get moving with our FREE 21 page guide.

9 key principles to help you recover from pain and injury pdf cover

Everything you need to know about exercise at 50 and beyond.

Subscribe and receive our 45 page guide FREE.

Everything you need to know about exercise at 50 and beyond pdf cover

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Why building resilience with resistance training will improve your golf  May 21, 2025
  • Why you’re not getting stronger in the gym and what to do about it May 14, 2025
  • Why you’re waking up in pain: It’s probably not how you slept May 10, 2025
  • How Katharine beat sciatica to run the London Marathon April 29, 2025
  • Stronger and faster at 50: Dominique’s secret to peak performance April 16, 2025

Footer

CONTACT

Human Movement
30 Cannon Street
London, EC4M 6XH

+44 020 7183 1164
paul@human-movement.com

BLOG

  • Why building resilience with resistance training will improve your golf  May 21, 2025
  • Why you’re not getting stronger in the gym and what to do about it May 14, 2025
  • Why you’re waking up in pain: It’s probably not how you slept May 10, 2025

FOLLOW

SUBSCRIBE

Privacy | Cookies | Terms