“It’s Not Just Your Hip” — Why Glute Tendinopathy Keeps Coming Back

If you’ve been dealing with pain on the outside of your hip, you’ve probably been told it’s bursitis.

And for a lot of people, that’s where it ends.

They’re told it’s just inflammation.

So they take anti-inflammatories, rest it, and hope for the best.

But the pain keeps coming back.

What It Often Actually Is

In many cases, that outer hip pain is not just bursitis.

It’s something called glute tendinopathy.

That simply means the tendons around your glutes are irritated and not coping well with load.

And this matters.

Because tendons behave very differently to muscles.

Why It Feels Worse at Night

One of the most common things we hear is:

“I can’t lie on that side.”

Or:

“It’s worse at night.”

That’s because when you lie on your hip, you’re compressing those already sensitive tendons.

So even though you’re resting, the area is still under pressure.

That’s why it can feel like it’s not improving, even when you’re doing less.

Why It Keeps Coming Back

This is where most people get stuck.

They take anti-inflammatories.
They rest it.
They try to avoid anything that aggravates it.

It might settle slightly.

But then it comes back again.

Because the issue is not just inflammation.

It’s that the tendon is not tolerating load properly.

And until that changes, the cycle continues.

The Real Problem

Glute tendinopathy is usually a load issue.

Either too much load too quickly, or the wrong type of load over time.

Things like:

Walking more than usual
Standing on one leg
Climbing stairs
Changes in activity

All of these can gradually irritate the tendon.

And unless the body is built back up to handle that load, the pain keeps returning.

Why Rest Alone Doesn’t Work

Rest can calm symptoms temporarily.

But it doesn’t improve strength.

It doesn’t improve how your hip handles movement.

And it doesn’t prepare you to return to normal activity.

So when you go back to walking, training, or even just daily life, the same problem is still there.

This Is Where Proper Rehab Matters

At ARC Rehabilitation & Pilates in Ballina, we don’t just label it and leave it there.

We assess properly.

We look at:

How your hip is moving
What’s overloading the tendon
What your strength and control are like

From there, we build a structured plan.

Not random exercises.

Not guesswork.

A progressive approach designed to improve your body’s ability to handle load again.

Building Strength and Confidence

Recovery is not about avoiding movement forever.

It’s about reintroducing the right movement, at the right level.

That usually involves:

Targeted strengthening
Gradual progression
Improving how your body handles everyday activity

For many of our clients, progressing into our Reformer Pilates classes plays a big role.

Therapist-led. Small group. Structured.

So you can build strength and confidence without constantly flaring things up.

The Bottom Line

If your hip pain keeps coming back…

If it’s worse when lying on your side…

If rest and anti-inflammatories only give short-term relief…

There’s a good chance it’s more than just bursitis.

And the good news is, it is very manageable with the right approach.

What This Means for You

At ARC Rehabilitation & Pilates in Ballina, we help people every day who feel stuck with ongoing hip pain.

We take the time to understand what’s actually causing it and guide you through a structured plan to fix it properly.

If you’re tired of the cycle of pain, rest, and flare-ups, we would be happy to help.

👉 Book an appointment with us today - Book An Appointment
Let’s get you moving comfortably again.

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