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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 July 17, 2026

Written and clinically reviewed by Jeremy Swisher, MD

Board-certified primary care sports medicine physician. Reviewed July 17, 2026.

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Jeremy Swisher, MD

Evidence-based home exercise program

Gluteal Tendinopathy Home Exercise Program

Name: __________________________________

Affected side: ______________

Start date: __________________

Review date: _________________

Clinician or PT: ______________________________

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

Seek same-day urgent assessment after acute trauma with inability to bear weight, rapidly progressive hip weakness, a pronounced hip drop or worsening limp, fever, deep groin pain with major motion loss, or new neurologic symptoms. Arrange a prompt evaluation for unexplained systemic or persistent night pain.

Use 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

Seek same-day urgent assessment after acute trauma with inability to bear weight, rapidly progressive hip weakness, a pronounced hip drop or worsening limp, fever, deep groin pain with major motion loss, or new neurologic symptoms. Arrange a prompt evaluation for unexplained systemic 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.

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

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, deep groin pain with major stiffness, fever, or new neurologic symptoms.

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

Mark up to three key program sessions each week. Use the notes column for symptoms, resistance, exercise duration, or an activity that became easier.

Week123Notes
1
2
3
4
5
6

Questions or need an evaluation? Call UCLA Orthopedics at 310-319-1234.

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

Clinically reviewed: July 17, 2026.

This is the independent professional website of Jeremy Swisher, MD, not an official UCLA Health website. UCLA Health manages appointments and clinical communication.

For general educational information only, not individualized medical advice. If you have 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 and primary sources

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: July 17, 2026.

Related care

Hip evaluationKnee, hip, and shoulder pain Tendon principlesEvidence-based tendon care Lower-limb planBeginner knee osteoarthritis exercises

Need a diagnosis or progression plan?

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