Hip Bursitis Exercises: 7 That Help and 6 to Avoid

Hip bursitis is the common name for pain over the bony point on the outside of the hip. It is typically sore to lie on, sore on stairs, and sore after standing or walking for long periods. Clinicians now more often call it greater trochanteric pain syndrome, because research has shown that the gluteal tendons which attach at that point are usually involved, with or without inflammation of the bursa, the small fluid-filled cushion that sits over them.

That distinction matters, because it changes the treatment. This guide covers the exercises that help, the popular stretches that often make it worse, how to sleep and sit more comfortably, and the warning signs that mean your hip should be assessed rather than exercised.

When to see a physio: if outer hip pain has not eased after two or three weeks of these exercises, or it stops you sleeping on that side, a physiotherapist can confirm whether it is bursitis or a gluteal tendon problem and adjust your programme. Physiotherapy in Chiswick needs no GP referral, and a 70-minute first appointment with assessment and treatment is £99. Book online or call 020 4515 0000.

Quick answer

The best hip bursitis exercises strengthen the buttock muscles without squeezing the outer hip: start with static hip abduction, bridges and standing hip abduction, then progress to sit to stand, single-leg stance and step-ups. Avoid stretches that pull the leg across the body and lying on the sore side. Many people improve within four to eight weeks, and full recovery usually takes three to six months.

Hip bursitis exercises at a glance

• 7 exercises that help: static hip abduction, bridges, standing hip abduction, sit to stand, single-leg stance, step-ups and banded side steps
• 6 things to avoid: outer hip and IT band stretches, side-lying leg lifts on the sore side, foam rolling the bony point, lying on the sore side, sudden jumps in walking or running distance, and complete rest
• Acceptable discomfort: up to about 3 or 4 out of 10, settling within 24 hours
• Typical timescale: improvement in four to eight weeks, full recovery in three to six months

What hip bursitis actually is

The gluteal tendons wrap around the outside of the hip bone, and the iliotibial band, a thick strap of tissue, runs over the top of them. When the thigh moves across the midline of the body, the band presses the tendons and bursa against the bone. Repeated or sustained compression of this kind, combined with more load than the tendons are conditioned for, is thought to be the main driver of the pain.

It is most common in women between 40 and 60, in runners and walkers who have increased their distance, and after a period of reduced activity. It can also follow a fall onto the side of the hip.

The two principles that matter most

Reduce compression. Positions in which the affected leg crosses the body, or in which you hang on one hip, squeeze the sore tendons against the bone. Changing these everyday positions is often the single most effective step, and it is the part most exercise sheets leave out.

Strengthen gradually. Tendons recover by being loaded, progressively, over weeks. Rest eases the pain in the short term but leaves the tendons less able to cope when you return to activity.

The evidence supports this approach. A trial published in the BMJ in 2018 compared education plus exercise against a corticosteroid injection, and the exercise group had better results at both eight weeks and one year.

A useful guide to intensity: mild discomfort during exercise, up to about 3 or 4 out of 10, is acceptable if it settles within 24 hours. Pain that is worse that night or the next morning means you did too much.

Everyday changes that reduce the pain

• Do not sit with your legs crossed, and avoid low, soft chairs where your knees sit higher than your hips.
• Stand evenly on both feet rather than hanging on one hip.
• Sleep on your back, or on the unaffected side with a pillow between your knees so that the top leg does not drop across your body. A mattress topper can help if you cannot avoid the sore side.
• Take stairs and hills steadily, and reduce them for a few weeks if they flare the pain.

Exercises to start with

Static hip abduction

Lie on your back with your legs straight and a belt or band looped around your thighs just above the knees, feet hip-width apart. Gently press both legs outward against the belt without any movement taking place. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds at a low to moderate effort, relax, and repeat five times. Sustained holds of this kind often ease tendon pain as well as beginning to strengthen.

Bridge

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat, hip-width apart. Squeeze your buttocks and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Hold for five seconds and lower slowly. Build up to three sets of 10. Keep your knees apart throughout and do not let them drift together.

Standing hip abduction

Stand tall holding a worktop. Keeping your body upright and your toes pointing forward, slide the affected leg out to the side a short distance, then return under control. Repeat 10 times on each leg. The standing leg is working just as hard to keep the pelvis level, so both sides benefit.

Exercises to progress to

Sit to stand

From a dining chair, stand up and sit down slowly with your feet hip-width apart and your knees in line with your toes. Do not let your knees fall inward. Build up to three sets of 10.

Single-leg stance with a level pelvis

Standing in front of a mirror with a worktop within reach, lift the unaffected foot slightly off the floor. Keep your pelvis level and do not let the hip push out to the side. Hold for up to 30 seconds. This trains exactly the control that walking and stairs demand.

Step-ups

Step up onto a low step with the affected leg, keeping your pelvis level and your knee in line with your toes, then lower slowly. Start with a step of 10 to 15 centimetres.

Side steps with a band

With a resistance band around your thighs just above the knees, bend your knees slightly and take 10 slow steps to one side, then 10 back. Keep tension on the band throughout. This is a later-stage exercise, to be introduced when the earlier ones are comfortable.

Hip bursitis exercises to avoid

These are best avoided, at least in the early weeks, because they compress the sore tendons or overload them before they are ready:

• Stretching the outside of the hip. Iliotibial band stretches, and buttock stretches that pull the knee across the body, compress the sore tendons. They can feel satisfying in the moment and still prolong the problem.
• Side-lying leg lifts, especially lying on the sore side, until the earlier exercises are comfortable.
• Foam rolling or massaging directly over the bony point.
• Lying on the affected side without cushioning.
• Sudden increases in walking or running distance, and running on cambered roads.
• Complete rest. Keep walking on level ground within comfort.

Why a generic exercise sheet sometimes fails

Many hip bursitis sheets found online are built around stretching, which is the opposite of what compressed tendons need. Others begin with exercises that are too demanding for an irritable hip, such as lying on the sore side or repeated side-lying leg lifts, and cause a flare within days.

Pain at the outside of the hip can also come from elsewhere. Hip joint arthritis, which more often causes groin pain and stiffness, and referred pain from the lower back can both be mistaken for bursitis, and each needs a different programme. See our guide to outer thigh pain for other causes.

When to seek medical attention

Seek urgent medical attention if:

• You have had a fall and cannot put weight through the leg. A fracture needs to be ruled out, particularly if you are over 60 or have osteoporosis
• The hip area is hot, red and swollen, or you feel feverish and unwell
• You have severe pain that came on suddenly without an obvious cause

See your GP or a physiotherapist if:

• Pain has lasted more than a few weeks without improvement
• Pain regularly wakes you at night
• Pain is felt mainly in the groin, or the hip is stiff when you put on shoes and socks
• You have numbness, tingling or pain travelling below the knee
• You have unexplained weight loss, or a history of cancer, alongside the pain

What a physiotherapy assessment adds

An assessment confirms whether the gluteal tendons and bursa are the source of the pain or whether the hip joint or lower back is responsible. It measures hip strength against the other side, looks at how you stand, walk and climb a step, and identifies the positions and activities that are compressing the tendons in your daily routine. The programme is then set at a level the hip can tolerate and progressed as it strengthens.

Frequently asked questions

How long does hip bursitis take to get better?

With the right changes, many people notice improvement within four to eight weeks. Tendons adapt slowly, so full recovery commonly takes three to six months, and longer if the pain has been present for a long time.

Is walking good for hip bursitis?

Yes, within tolerance. Walk on level ground at a comfortable pace and shorten the distance if it flares the pain. Avoid long hills and cambered surfaces for a few weeks.

Should I stretch hip bursitis?

Generally not in the early stages. Stretches that take the leg across the body compress the sore area. Strengthening and changing aggravating positions are more effective.

What exercises should I avoid with hip bursitis?

Avoid stretches that pull the leg across the body, such as iliotibial band and crossover buttock stretches, side-lying leg lifts on the sore side, foam rolling over the bony point, and sudden increases in walking or running distance. Strengthening in positions that do not compress the outer hip is more effective.

Why is hip bursitis worse at night?

Lying on the sore side presses the tendons and bursa against the bone, and lying on the other side lets the top leg drop across the body, which compresses them too. Pain can spread down the outside of the thigh. Sleeping on your back, or on the good side with a pillow between your knees, usually helps. Pain that travels below the knee, or wakes you whatever position you are in, should be assessed.

Why does my hip hurt after sitting for a long time?

Low, soft chairs and sitting with your legs crossed hold the outer hip in a compressed position, so the sore tendons often ache when you stand up after sitting for a while. Sit with your hips slightly higher than your knees, keep your feet hip-width apart and get up every 30 minutes. Groin pain and stiffness after sitting point more towards the hip joint, and pain spreading down the back of the leg towards the lower back.

What is the best sleeping position?

On your back, or on the unaffected side with a pillow between your knees and ankles so that the top leg stays level with the hip.

Do steroid injections work?

An injection can give short-term pain relief, and is sometimes offered when pain is severe. The benefit tends to fade over a few months, and research shows better long-term results from education and exercise. This is a decision to discuss with your GP.

Can I keep running?

Often yes, at a reduced volume, provided pain stays low during the run and settles within 24 hours. Flat, even surfaces, shorter runs and avoiding speed work are the usual adjustments.

Is heat or ice better?

Either can help with comfort. Ice after activity suits a sore, irritable hip. Neither addresses the underlying cause.

Hip pain assessment and treatment in Chiswick

Outer hip pain is assessed and treated at Omnia Lifestyle, 8 to 9 Bedford Corner, The Avenue, Chiswick W4 1LZ, close to Turnham Green station, on bus routes 94, E3 and 272. Limited parking is available on request when booking. Assessment confirms whether hip bursitis is the cause and sets a strengthening programme at a level your hip can tolerate, so that it settles rather than flares.

• Physiotherapy for hip bursitis in Chiswick: initial assessment and treatment, 70 minutes, £99, with an HCPC-registered physiotherapist, then follow-ups from £70. Recognised by AXA Health, Aviva, WPA and Vitality.
• MSK therapy: physiotherapist-led hands-on treatment with a progressive strengthening plan.
• Sports massage: from £65 for 30 minutes, for tight buttock and thigh muscles, avoiding direct pressure on the sore bony point.
• Acupuncture: traditional acupuncture, 60 minutes, £80, sometimes used alongside exercise for pain relief.

For other causes of pain around the hip, see hip pain.

Read more about joint pain and sports injuries, see our guides to sciatica exercises and gait analysis, explore physiotherapy, or book an assessment.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have any of the warning signs listed above, seek medical attention.