Outer Hip Pain at Night? It’s Often Glute Tendinopathy — Here’s the Fix

The Pain That’s Worst When You Lie on It

If you have an ache or sharp pain over the bony point on the outer side of your hip — and it is worst when you lie on that side at night, or after sitting with your legs crossed — it is most likely gluteal tendinopathy: irritation of the glute tendons where they attach to the hip. (This is what used to be loosely called “trochanteric bursitis”.)

It is very treatable, but most people unknowingly do the things that keep it going.

Step 1 — Stop Compressing the Tendon

This half of the treatment costs nothing and often brings the fastest relief. Avoid:

• Crossing your legs, and standing “hanging” on one hip.
• Sleeping directly on the painful side — put a pillow between your knees, or sleep on the other side.
• Aggressive foam-rolling or stretching over the bony point and the ITB — it compresses an already-irritated tendon and tends to flare it.

Step 2 — Load the Glutes (this is the cure, not stretching)

Start calming — isometrics (daily)

• Isometric hip abduction: press the outer thigh gently against a wall and hold ~30 seconds, 5 times.

Build strength (every other day)

• Side-lying hip abduction, kept in neutral (do not lift the leg above your body line) — 3 sets of 12.
• Glute bridges, then single-leg bridges — 3 sets of 10.
• Controlled step-ups — 3 sets of 10.

Tendons respond to patient, progressive load — expect weeks, not days.

When to Get It Assessed

• Pain after a fall, or inability to weight-bear (especially in older adults) — needs review to exclude a fracture.
• Groin pain with fever or feeling unwell — needs urgent medical attention.
• No improvement after several weeks of load management and strengthening.

An online consultation can confirm it is the tendon (not the hip joint or referred back pain) and build your loading plan. This is general information, not a diagnosis.