Hip Pain Treatment in Westlands, Nairobi

You can't sleep on your side anymore. Climbing the stairs at work, getting out of the car or standing for long periods brings a deep ache on the outside of your hip, sometimes down the side of your thigh. Many people are told it's "bursitis". In most cases, the real problem is the tendons of your buttock muscles.

What is lateral hip pain?

Pain on the outside of the hip is now called greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS). Research shows it usually comes from the gluteal tendons, which attach to the bony point on the side of your hip, rather than from an inflamed bursa.

It is most common between the ages of 40 and 60, and is especially common in women.

Common signs include:

Pain on the outside of the hip, sometimes spreading down the thigh
Pain when lying on the affected side, or even the other side
Pain climbing stairs, walking uphill or standing on one leg
Pain when sitting with your legs crossed
Tenderness when pressing on the side of the hip

Common causes include weak hip muscles, compression of the tendon (from crossing your legs or hanging on one hip when standing), a sudden increase in walking or exercise, and extra body weight.

Injection or exercise?

A major trial, the LEAP study, found that education plus a targeted exercise programme worked better than a steroid injection or a "wait and see" approach. The benefit was still there a year later. Injections may give short-term relief for a few months, but they don't fix the tendon.