Does strength training rehabilitation treat gluteal tendinopathy?

Gluteal tendinopathy involves pain from the tendons of the hip muscles, often felt on the outer hip and aggravated by side-lying, stairs, hills or prolonged single-leg loading. A strengthening plan aims to improve the muscles’ ability to share force around the pelvis. It may begin with low-irritation holds and controlled hip work, then progress to heavier exercises and functional tasks. The plan should avoid repeatedly compressing or suddenly overloading the painful tendon.

A physiotherapist can help choose exercises and adjust their dose. Temporarily avoid lying on the painful side, crossing the legs tightly, or standing with the hip dropped if these positions reproduce symptoms. Break up long walks or hills while capacity is rebuilding. Progress resistance slowly and judge the response later that day and the next morning, rather than increasing the programme because one session felt comfortable.

Seek prompt assessment for inability to bear weight, sudden severe outer-hip pain after a fall, rapidly increasing swelling, fever, or new weakness that causes the leg to give way. Medical review is also sensible when pain persists despite load changes, disturbs sleep repeatedly, or is accompanied by numbness or back symptoms.

Could my outer-hip pain be gluteal tendinopathy or another hip or back problem? Which positions should I change? What level of discomfort is acceptable during strengthening? How will we decide when hills, stairs and single-leg exercises can be increased?