Lateral hip pain ยท Home exercise plan

Gluteal Tendinopathy Exercises for Lateral Hip Pain

Education plus progressive exercise is first-line care for gluteal tendinopathy. This plan pairs practical position changes with hip and lower-limb strengthening.

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Clinically reviewed August 28, 2026

Written and clinically reviewed by Jeremy Swisher, MD

Board-certified primary care sports medicine physician. Reviewed August 28, 2026.

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Jeremy Swisher, MD

Evidence-informed home exercise program

Gluteal Tendinopathy Home Exercise Program

Name: __________________________________

Affected side: ______________

Start date: __________________

Review date: _________________

Clinician or PT: ______________________________

Before you start

This starter program is intended for adults who have already been evaluated and told gluteal tendinopathy is the likely diagnosis. It is not a self-diagnosis tool, a postoperative protocol, or a substitute for individualized care.

This program may fit

Pain and tenderness around the greater trochanter, often aggravated by side-lying, prolonged walking, stairs, or standing on one leg.

Get assessed first

Groin-dominant pain, major hip stiffness, rapidly progressive weakness, a substantial limp, recent trauma, lumbar nerve symptoms, or a diagnosis that remains uncertain.

Stop signs

Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, or another medical emergency. Seek same-day urgent assessment after acute trauma with inability to bear weight, rapidly progressive hip weakness, a new or rapidly worsening pronounced hip drop or limp, fever or systemic illness with a painful hip, sudden or severe deep groin pain with major motion loss, or new neurologic symptoms. Arrange a prompt evaluation for chronic deep groin pain with major stiffness, unexplained systemic symptoms, or persistent night pain.

Check the next morning

Some discomfort can be acceptable when it does not increase night pain or next-day symptoms. Night pain is a useful signal that total walking, standing, and exercise load may be too high.

Fit and safety

Confirm this is the right diagnosis.

This starter program is intended for adults who have already been evaluated and told gluteal tendinopathy is the likely diagnosis. It is not a self-diagnosis tool, a postoperative protocol, or a substitute for individualized care.

This program may fit

Pain and tenderness around the greater trochanter, often aggravated by side-lying, prolonged walking, stairs, or standing on one leg.

Get assessed first

Groin-dominant pain, major hip stiffness, rapidly progressive weakness, a substantial limp, recent trauma, lumbar nerve symptoms, or a diagnosis that remains uncertain.

Do not self-start with these warning signs

Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, or another medical emergency. Seek same-day urgent assessment after acute trauma with inability to bear weight, rapidly progressive hip weakness, a new or rapidly worsening pronounced hip drop or limp, fever or systemic illness with a painful hip, sudden or severe deep groin pain with major motion loss, or new neurologic symptoms. Arrange a prompt evaluation for chronic deep groin pain with major stiffness, unexplained systemic symptoms, or persistent night pain.

This is a diagnosis-specific home program, not a substitute for an examination. A clinician may change the exercise, dose, range, or timeline based on your history.

Your home program

Change the positions, then train the hip.

Temporarily reduce compressive positions such as lying on the painful side, crossing the legs, hanging on one hip, and forceful stretching that pulls the painful leg across the body. Use the isometric on lighter days and the strength movements on nonconsecutive loading days. This exact home menu and dose are a practical adaptation; no single home sequence is proven best, and the strongest trial evidence used clinician-led education and graded loading.

Frequency
Isometric most days; strength 3 nonconsecutive days per week
Equipment
Stable chair, wall, optional loop band or belt
First checkpoint
Initial trial of 8 weeks
Primary goal
More comfortable sleep, walking, stairs, and single-leg tasks
  1. Exercise 1

    Hip abduction isometric

    Most days

    Dose5 holds of 10 to 20 seconds

    Sit with a loop band or belt around the thighs. Press the knees gently outward without moving, hold, then relax. Keep the feet grounded.

    Make it easier

    Use less pressure or a shorter hold.

    Progress it

    Increase the hold or band resistance without increasing night pain.

    My starting dose or notes

  2. Exercise 2

    Bridge

    3 nonconsecutive days per week

    Dose2 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions

    Lie on your back with knees bent. Press through the heels, lift the hips while keeping the pelvis level, then lower slowly.

    Make it easier

    Use a smaller range.

    Progress it

    Add a band, use a staggered stance, or progress toward an offset bridge.

    My starting dose or notes

  3. Exercise 3

    Sit to stand or shallow squat

    3 nonconsecutive days per week

    Dose2 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions

    Keep the feet grounded and knees tracking over the middle toes as you stand from a chair or perform a shallow squat.

    Make it easier

    Use a higher chair or push lightly from the armrests.

    Progress it

    Lower the chair or hold light external weight.

    My starting dose or notes

  4. Exercise 4

    Band sidestep

    3 nonconsecutive days per week

    Dose2 sets of 8 to 12 steps each direction

    Place a loop band above the knees or at the ankles. Take controlled side steps while keeping the pelvis level and feet facing forward.

    Make it easier

    Move the band above the knees or take smaller steps.

    Progress it

    Use a stronger band or place it closer to the ankles.

    My starting dose or notes

  5. Exercise 5

    Standing band hip abduction

    3 nonconsecutive days per week

    Dose2 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions per side

    Hold a counter. Move one leg slightly out to the side without leaning the trunk or turning the toes outward, then return slowly.

    Make it easier

    Use no band and a smaller range.

    Progress it

    Increase band resistance or pause at the end range.

    My starting dose or notes

Optional video companion

See the movement principles in context.

The written program above remains the prescription. This independent third-party video adds a visual explanation of the condition and common exercise options.

E3 Rehab video

Gluteal Tendinopathy / Greater Trochanteric Hip Bursitis (Education | Myths | Exercises)

Third-party educational resource

YouTube content does not load until you choose this button.

A visual overview of lateral hip pain, compressive positions, load management, and progressive hip strengthening.

Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Use with this program

Use this video for education and technique, not as a second exercise program. Follow the exercises, dose, progression, and symptom rules on this page. Video examples are options, not additions. Links or promotions inside the video are provided by E3 Rehab and are not part of this program. The title includes bursitis, but this page is written for a diagnosed gluteal tendinopathy pattern rather than assuming isolated bursal inflammation. Treat the exercise examples as a menu, not extra volume. Delay step-ups, prolonged single-leg work, hills, running, or advanced options if night pain or next-day walking pain worsens.

Symptom response

Let the next day guide the dose.

Some discomfort can be acceptable when it does not increase night pain or next-day symptoms. Night pain is a useful signal that total walking, standing, and exercise load may be too high.

Continue

Green light

Mild, controlled discomfort with stable sleep and no meaningful increase in next-day lateral hip pain.

Adjust

Yellow light

Night pain or next-day walking pain increases. Reduce resistance, range, repetitions, long walks, hills, or sustained single-leg positions.

Stop

Red light

Stop and seek same-day urgent assessment for new inability to bear weight, rapidly progressive weakness, sudden or severe deep groin pain with major stiffness, fever or systemic illness with a painful hip, or new neurologic symptoms. Arrange prompt evaluation for chronic deep groin pain with major stiffness.

Change one variable at a time

When symptoms are too reactive, first reduce range, resistance, repetitions, or frequency. When the current dose feels controlled for several sessions, progress only one of those variables.

Progression

Build capacity in stages.

  1. Stage 1: reduce compression

    Avoid lying directly on the painful side, crossing the legs, and hanging on one hip. Use a pillow between the knees when lying on the other side.

  2. Stage 2: build lower-limb strength

    Progress bridge, sit-to-stand, sidestep, and standing abduction by repetitions, band resistance, chair height, or external load.

  3. Stage 3: restore single-leg demand

    Add step-ups, longer walks, hills, and activity-specific single-leg tasks in small increments while night pain remains stable.

Signs you are ready for the next stage

  • Night pain is stable or improving.
  • Walking and stairs are becoming easier.
  • The pelvis stays level during the current exercises.
  • You can add resistance without a next-day lateral hip flare.

When to schedule an evaluation

Schedule a visit if groin pain or major stiffness suggests hip-joint disease, weakness or limping is progressing, neurologic symptoms are present, or an eight-week education and loading program is not improving function.

Call UCLA Orthopedics at 310-319-1234

Use this tracker through the first checkpoint above. Mark up to three key sessions each week, check weekdays for frequent work, and note symptoms, resistance, duration, or activity gains. Continue through a longer condition-specific trial when useful.

WeekKey sessionsDaily or most-day workNotes
123
1MTWTFSS
2MTWTFSS
3MTWTFSS
4MTWTFSS
5MTWTFSS
6MTWTFSS

Questions? Call UCLA Orthopedics at 310-319-1234.

Full guide and references: https://jeremyswishermd.com/gluteal-tendinopathy-exercises/

Clinical review: August 28, 2026. Independent professional site; not an official UCLA Health website. UCLA Health manages appointments and clinical communication.

Optional video: An E3 Rehab technique companion is available in the full online guide listed above.

General education only, not individualized medical advice. For a medical emergency, call 911.

Common questions

Questions about this program

Should I stretch the outside of the hip?

Forceful hip-adduction stretching can compress the gluteal tendons and may aggravate symptoms. Early care usually emphasizes reducing compression and progressively strengthening instead.

How should I sleep?

Avoid lying directly on the painful side. When lying on the other side, place a pillow between the knees to reduce hip adduction and compression.

Is a corticosteroid injection the best first step?

Not usually. In the LEAP randomized trial, education plus exercise produced better global improvement than injection at eight weeks and maintained an advantage at longer follow-up.

Can I keep walking?

Usually yes, but adjust total distance, hills, and consecutive long days if night pain or next-day symptoms increase. Keep general activity while the strength program builds capacity.

Evidence

Guidelines, reviews, and clinical studies

This plan translates current clinical guidance into a practical home program. The cited sources support the treatment principles, but they do not establish one universal exercise recipe for every patient.

Evidence and recommendations can change. Last clinical review: August 28, 2026.

Related care

Hip evaluationKnee, hip, and shoulder pain Open guide Tendon principlesEvidence-based tendon care Open guide Different hip patternHip osteoarthritis exercises Open guide

Need a diagnosis or progression plan?

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