Most Common Hip Conditions Treated with Physical Therapy in Hurricane and Teays Valley, WV adults.

What is Causing Your Lateral Hip Pain?

Lateral hip pain is pain on the outside of the hip. Usually this pain is experienced near the greater trochanter which is the bony prominence on the outside of the hip. Lateral hip pain is common in active people, especially runners, women, and teens with high level of activity with their sport.

Common Causes:

• Gluteal Tendinopathy: The number one cause of lateral hip pain is gluteal tendinopathy which is caused by irritation or overload of the gluteus medius and minimus tendons where they attach to the greater trochanter.

• IT Band-Related Pain: Normally caused by tightness or friction of the iliotibial band over the lateral hip.

• Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS): This is an over-arching term from lateral hip pain. It can be caused by:

• Glute med/min tendinopathy

• Bursitis (rare on its own)

• IT band irritation

• Poor single-leg control

Typical Signs and Symptoms:

• Localized pain or tenderness on the outer hip (not deep groin pain, sharp catching pain, and no numbness or tingling)

• Pain when lying on that side

• Pain with running

• Pain with single-leg activities

• Pain going up/down stairs

• Pain during standing on one leg

• Sometimes pain radiates down the lateral thigh

• Pain worsens with hip abduction loading

• Greater trochanter is tender to the touch

Why People Experience Lateral Hip Pain:

• Weak or overworked glute med/min

• Training at high volumes

• Running up hills

• Speed work

• Running with too much hip adduction

• Poor SL stability

• Hormonal changes (more common in females)

• Increase in running milage

Why Lateral Hip Pain is Common in Runners

• Running loads the gluteal tendons 3-4x the runner’s body weight with each step. If the training load increases too fast and the hip abductors are not strong enough the tendon becomes irritated and painful.

How Faith in Motion Helps Hurricane WV locals solve their hip pain.

• Reduce pain and inflammation by calming the irritated gluteal tendons with manual stretching, soft tissue massage, and dry needling.

• Strengthening the glutes which put extra stress on the tendons on the outside of the hip

• Improve pelvic and core stability

• Correct gait or more movement patterns

• Start progressive tendon loading