Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSymptomsStretchesMedical InterventionsWhen to Seek Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Symptoms
Stretches
Medical Interventions
When to Seek Medical Care
Thegluteus mediusis a muscle located at the sides of the hips. It moves the leg out to the side and helps stabilize the pelvis to maintain good alignment of the hips and knees. Pain in the gluteus medius often results from the muscle being too weak or when the muscle is overused. Gluteus medius pain can also stem from low-back problems.
This article will review causes and symptoms of gluteus medius pain and ways to get relief.
amenic181 / Getty Images
More Than One Cause of Gluteus Medius Pain
Gluteus mediuspain can result from more than one cause, but it most commonly occurs when there is an imbalance between muscle strength and physical activity.
The gluteus medius plays an important role in stabilizing the pelvis. It helps maintain good alignment of the hips and knees with unilateral movements such as stepping forward, walking up or down stairs, and lunging. When the gluteus medius lacks enough strength and muscular endurance, it can become fatigued quickly. This can result in muscle soreness and pain at the outside of the hips.
How to Fix a Sedentary Lifestyle
The gluteus medius muscle is often cut into duringtotal hip replacement surgerywith a posterolateral approach. Because of this, the muscle may produce discomfort with physical activity until it has fully healed back together and regains strength after surgery. Pain can also result from the incision itself.
Even if the gluteus medius has adequate strength, pain can also result if too much physical activity is performed without enough rest. This overuse of the gluteus medius muscle causeds strain in the tendon, resulting in pain, inflammation, and potentialtendonitis.
Gluteal Region: Vascular
If physical activity continues further without proper rest, tendonitis of the gluteus medius can lead totrochanteric bursitis. This condition develops when the gluteus medius tendon repeatedly rubs over the underlying bursae, sacs that provide cushioning between the tendon and pelvis bone.
What to Expect From Trochanteric Bursitis Physical Therapy
Other factors that can cause gluteus medius pain include muscle or tendon tears that can result from trauma or high-impact injuries. Gluteus medius pain can also be referred pain, which is pain that’s felt in one area but that originates elsewhere. This referred pain in the lower back comes from issues that affect the spinal discs and nerves.
Symptoms and Referred Gluteus Medius Pain
If your gluteus medius pain is being referred from your lower back, you may feel an increase in pain with certain motions of your spine. It is common for many spinal conditions to present with a directional preference, where eitherforward bendingorbackward bendingincreases or decreases symptoms.
Stretches to Try If You Know What’s Causing Your Pain
If your gluteus medius is very tight and causing discomfort, stretching the muscle can help provide relief. Try laying on your back and pulling your leg across your body to stretch the outside of your hip. You can also stand, cross one foot behind the other, and bend forward to stretch the sides of your hips. Gentle pressure and massage to the gluteus medius muscles at the sides of your hips may also relieve tension and pain.
It should be noted that stretching should only be performed if you experience relief afterward. Stretching, however, is not always helpful for gluteus medius pain. If you are experiencing symptoms of trochanteric bursitis, stretching the gluteus medius may actually cause more compression of the underlying bursae and worsen symptoms.
Medications, Surgery, and Physical Therapy
If your pain is high in intensity and/or long lasting, your healthcare provider may prescribe you medication to help with symptom relief. Anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxers, and pain-relieving medications may be able to help.
If your symptoms continue and are severe, your healthcare provider may also suggest acortisone injectioninto your gluteus medius to help relieve pain and inflammation.
Physical therapy is also typically recommended to help restore proper functioning of your gluteus medius. Corrective strengthening exercises can help reduce strain and build up the muscular endurance needed so that your gluteus medius is not strained with exercise and everyday movements.
For significant tears of the gluteus medius muscle and/or tendon, surgery may be needed to repair the muscle and tendon fibers back together in order to heal.
Providers to See for Gluteus Medius Muscle Pain
You can seek help from a variety of different healthcare providers to treat your gluteus medius pain. It is always a good idea to schedule a visit with yourprimary care provider (PCP)to review your symptoms and general health to rule out any other underlying conditions that can be causing muscle pain.
If your gluteus medius pain is solely muscular, a physical therapist can guide you through corrective exercises to help strengthen your gluteus medius. As your muscle gains more strength, it will better be able to keep up with the demands of activities and will be less prone to strain or injury.
Alternative medicine or well-being practitioners, such as acupuncturists and massage therapists, may also be helpful to provide targeted pressure relief.
Summary
Strengthening the muscle is most effective in relieving pain while other methods like stretching, massage, and medications may also help. Severe cases of gluteus medius pain may require surgery if the muscle or tendon is significantly torn, while all cases of gluteus medius pain can typically benefit from physical therapy. Consider talking with your PCP first to determine the best treatment for your symptoms.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chamberlain R.Hip Pain in Adults: Evaluation and Differential Diagnosis. Am Fam Physician.2021 Jan 15;103(2):81-89. Erratum in: Am Fam Physician. 2021 Mar 1;103(5):263.Moretti VM, Post ZD.Surgical Approaches for Total Hip Arthroplasty.Indian J Orthop.2017 Jul-Aug;51(4):368-376. doi: 10.4103/ortho.IJOrtho_317_16Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.Greater trochanteric pain syndrome clinical practice guideline.Kameda M, Tanimae H, Kihara A, Matsumoto F.Does low back pain or leg pain in gluteus medius syndrome contribute to lumbar degenerative disease and hip osteoarthritis and vice versa? A literature review.J Phys Ther Sci.2020 Feb;32(2):173-191. doi: 10.1589/jpts.32.173.Yarznbowicz R, Tao M.Directional preference constructs for patients' low back pain in the absence of centralization.J Man Manip Ther.2018 Dec;26(5):281-291. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2018.1505329.Ladurner A, Fitzpatrick J, O’Donnell JM.Treatment of Gluteal Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review and Stage-Adjusted Treatment Recommendation.Orthop J Sports Med.2021 Jul 29;9(7):23259671211016850. doi: 10.1177/23259671211016850
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chamberlain R.Hip Pain in Adults: Evaluation and Differential Diagnosis. Am Fam Physician.2021 Jan 15;103(2):81-89. Erratum in: Am Fam Physician. 2021 Mar 1;103(5):263.Moretti VM, Post ZD.Surgical Approaches for Total Hip Arthroplasty.Indian J Orthop.2017 Jul-Aug;51(4):368-376. doi: 10.4103/ortho.IJOrtho_317_16Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.Greater trochanteric pain syndrome clinical practice guideline.Kameda M, Tanimae H, Kihara A, Matsumoto F.Does low back pain or leg pain in gluteus medius syndrome contribute to lumbar degenerative disease and hip osteoarthritis and vice versa? A literature review.J Phys Ther Sci.2020 Feb;32(2):173-191. doi: 10.1589/jpts.32.173.Yarznbowicz R, Tao M.Directional preference constructs for patients' low back pain in the absence of centralization.J Man Manip Ther.2018 Dec;26(5):281-291. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2018.1505329.Ladurner A, Fitzpatrick J, O’Donnell JM.Treatment of Gluteal Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review and Stage-Adjusted Treatment Recommendation.Orthop J Sports Med.2021 Jul 29;9(7):23259671211016850. doi: 10.1177/23259671211016850
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Chamberlain R.Hip Pain in Adults: Evaluation and Differential Diagnosis. Am Fam Physician.2021 Jan 15;103(2):81-89. Erratum in: Am Fam Physician. 2021 Mar 1;103(5):263.Moretti VM, Post ZD.Surgical Approaches for Total Hip Arthroplasty.Indian J Orthop.2017 Jul-Aug;51(4):368-376. doi: 10.4103/ortho.IJOrtho_317_16Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.Greater trochanteric pain syndrome clinical practice guideline.Kameda M, Tanimae H, Kihara A, Matsumoto F.Does low back pain or leg pain in gluteus medius syndrome contribute to lumbar degenerative disease and hip osteoarthritis and vice versa? A literature review.J Phys Ther Sci.2020 Feb;32(2):173-191. doi: 10.1589/jpts.32.173.Yarznbowicz R, Tao M.Directional preference constructs for patients' low back pain in the absence of centralization.J Man Manip Ther.2018 Dec;26(5):281-291. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2018.1505329.Ladurner A, Fitzpatrick J, O’Donnell JM.Treatment of Gluteal Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review and Stage-Adjusted Treatment Recommendation.Orthop J Sports Med.2021 Jul 29;9(7):23259671211016850. doi: 10.1177/23259671211016850
Chamberlain R.Hip Pain in Adults: Evaluation and Differential Diagnosis. Am Fam Physician.2021 Jan 15;103(2):81-89. Erratum in: Am Fam Physician. 2021 Mar 1;103(5):263.
Moretti VM, Post ZD.Surgical Approaches for Total Hip Arthroplasty.Indian J Orthop.2017 Jul-Aug;51(4):368-376. doi: 10.4103/ortho.IJOrtho_317_16
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.Greater trochanteric pain syndrome clinical practice guideline.
Kameda M, Tanimae H, Kihara A, Matsumoto F.Does low back pain or leg pain in gluteus medius syndrome contribute to lumbar degenerative disease and hip osteoarthritis and vice versa? A literature review.J Phys Ther Sci.2020 Feb;32(2):173-191. doi: 10.1589/jpts.32.173.
Yarznbowicz R, Tao M.Directional preference constructs for patients' low back pain in the absence of centralization.J Man Manip Ther.2018 Dec;26(5):281-291. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2018.1505329.
Ladurner A, Fitzpatrick J, O’Donnell JM.Treatment of Gluteal Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review and Stage-Adjusted Treatment Recommendation.Orthop J Sports Med.2021 Jul 29;9(7):23259671211016850. doi: 10.1177/23259671211016850
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
