Trochanteric bursitis — pain on the outer side of the hip — is a common and often persistent complaint, particularly in women and in people in mid-life and beyond. It arises around the bony point on the outside of the hip, and although it can be genuinely uncomfortable, especially at night, it usually responds well to the right combination of hands-on care, exercise and practical changes. At Back in Action in Penwortham, we care for people across Preston and Lancashire with outer hip pain of this kind.
Understanding trochanteric bursitis
On the outer side of your hip is a bony prominence called the greater trochanter, where powerful muscles and tendons attach. A bursa — a small, fluid-filled sac that reduces friction between tissues — sits over this point to allow everything to glide smoothly. When this area becomes irritated, the result is pain on the outer hip, traditionally called trochanteric bursitis. It is one of the most common causes of lateral, or outer, hip pain that we see in the clinic.
In recent years, understanding of this condition has moved on. It is now recognised that the problem often involves the nearby gluteal tendons as much as, or more than, the bursa itself, and the broader term greater trochanteric pain syndrome is increasingly used. For our purposes, what matters is that it is a mechanical, soft-tissue problem of the outer hip — not a sign of anything serious — and that it responds to addressing the tendons and muscles around the area, not just the bursa.
This shift in understanding has changed how the condition is best managed. Whereas the focus was once on calming an inflamed bursa, the emphasis now is much more on rebuilding the strength and control of the muscles that support the outer hip, and on reducing the everyday positions and habits that compress the area. That is why exercise, rather than rest alone, is at the heart of recovery.
What it can feel like
Symptoms typically centre on the outer hip and include:
- Pain and tenderness over the bony point on the outside of the hip
- Pain when lying on the affected side, which often disturbs sleep
- Discomfort with walking, climbing stairs or standing on one leg
- Pain that may spread down the outer thigh towards the knee
- Stiffness and pain after sitting for a while, or on first standing up
- Pain that builds with prolonged walking or standing during the day
The night-time pain, brought on by lying on the affected side, is one of the most characteristic and troublesome features, and the disturbed sleep it causes is often what finally prompts people to seek help.
Common causes and risk factors
Trochanteric pain usually develops from a combination of factors, including:
- Overload of the gluteal tendons, often from a change in activity
- Weakness in the hip and buttock muscles, which alters how the hip is controlled
- Habits that compress the outer hip, such as standing with weight on one leg or sitting cross-legged
- A direct knock or fall onto the outer hip
- Differences in leg length or gait that load one hip more than the other
- It is more common in women, and in middle age and beyond
- A period of reduced activity, followed by a return to walking or exercise
Part of our assessment is understanding what is overloading the area, since addressing that is key to lasting improvement. Often it is a combination of a recent change in activity and longstanding weakness or postural habits, rather than any single cause.
When to seek help
Outer hip pain is not dangerous, but it can be stubborn and slow to settle, and is worth addressing rather than simply enduring — particularly when it is disturbing your sleep night after night. Please seek prompt medical attention if your hip pain follows a significant fall or injury, if you cannot bear weight, or if the area is hot, swollen and red with a fever.
How chiropractic care can help
Chiropractors care for many people with outer hip pain. The aim of our care is to settle the symptoms, reduce what is overloading the area, and rebuild the strength and control that protect the outer hip going forward. Following a thorough assessment, our hands-on, drug-free care may include soft-tissue work to ease tension in the muscles and tendons of the outer hip, mobilisation of the hip, pelvis and lower back where movement is restricted, and a graded strengthening programme for the hip and buttock muscles, which is often the cornerstone of recovery. Because we are a multi-practitioner clinic, we can also draw on physiotherapy. We will be honest about what care can realistically offer and refer you on where appropriate.
What to expect at Back in Action
Your first visit is mostly about understanding your outer hip pain. We will take a careful history and carry out a physical examination of the hip, pelvis and lower back, including tests of strength and movement and gently checking the tender area. We will explain what we have found in plain language and discuss whether chiropractic care is appropriate.
You can read more on our new patients page, with current charges on the fees page. Because this condition often responds best to a progressive strengthening approach, we will set out a realistic plan and review your progress as we go. It is worth being honest from the start that outer hip pain can take some weeks to settle, and that the simple changes to sleeping and sitting positions often bring the earliest relief while the strengthening work takes effect.
Helping yourself: self-care and recovery
There is a lot you can do to help outer hip pain, much of it about reducing what compresses and overloads the area:
- Avoid lying directly on the painful side where possible, and try a pillow between your knees at night
- Avoid standing with your weight slumped onto one hip, or sitting with legs crossed
- Build strength in the hip and buttock muscles gradually, ideally with guidance
- Increase walking or activity loads gradually rather than in sudden jumps after a quiet spell
- Be patient and consistent over several weeks, as this condition rewards steady effort over time
If you would like guidance tailored to you, we can build a safe, progressive exercise and self-care plan around your particular problem. The combination of small daily changes to relieve the pressure and a steady strengthening programme to rebuild support tends to give the best and most lasting results.
Related conditions and treatments
Trochanteric bursitis is closely linked to hip pain, hip, groin and pelvis pain and hip tendonitis, and shares much with other overuse problems. The care we provide draws on approaches such as exercise and rehabilitation and chiropractic manipulation, and may form part of a wider plan alongside our chiropractic and physiotherapy services.
Take the first step
If outer hip pain is getting in the way of your life or disturbing your sleep, you do not have to simply put up with it. We are happy to talk it through and help you understand your options. You can get in touch to book an appointment, or to ask any questions before your first visit.