Outer hip pain can make ordinary movements surprisingly difficult. Getting out of a car, walking uphill, climbing stairs, or lying on one side may all trigger a sharp ache over the bony part of the hip. The right hip bursitis exercises can settle irritation while rebuilding the strength and control your hip needs for daily life, work, and sport.
Although people often call this problem hip bursitis, pain on the outside of the hip is frequently part of greater trochanteric pain syndrome, or GTPS. This can involve an irritated bursa, but the gluteal tendons and the muscles that support the pelvis are often involved too. That distinction matters because complete rest rarely solves the underlying problem. A gradual, well-chosen loading program usually does more to create lasting improvement.
First, Reduce the Positions That Keep the Hip Irritated
Exercise works best when it is paired with a few short-term changes to aggravating habits. Outer hip pain is commonly sensitive to compression – pressure that squeezes the tendons and bursa against the side of the hip. Crossing your legs, standing with all your weight on one hip, and sleeping directly on the painful side can all add to that pressure.
For now, aim to stand with weight more evenly through both feet. When sleeping on your unaffected side, place a firm pillow between your knees and ankles so the top leg is supported. If you prefer sleeping on your back, a pillow under the knees may be more comfortable. These are not permanent restrictions. They are practical ways to calm symptoms while your hip becomes more tolerant of load.
Walking is often helpful if it does not cause a significant flare-up. Shorter, flatter walks may be a better starting point than long hills or fast-paced routes. A useful guide is that discomfort during exercise should stay mild and return close to your usual level by the next day. Sharp pain, a limp, or worsening night pain suggests the activity is currently too demanding.
Hip Bursitis Exercises: Start With Controlled Strength
The goal is not to stretch aggressively into pain. In fact, deep hip stretches and a crossed-leg stretch can aggravate some cases by compressing the sensitive structures on the outside of the hip. Start with exercises that recruit the gluteal muscles without forcing the hip into an uncomfortable position.
1. Isometric Wall Press
Stand side-on next to a wall with the painful side closest to it. Bend the knee closest to the wall slightly and press the outside of that knee gently into the wall, as if you are trying to move the wall sideways. Keep your pelvis level and your trunk upright. You should feel the side of your buttock working, not a pinch on the outside of your hip.
Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then rest. Complete four or five holds, once or twice daily if comfortable. Isometric exercises are useful early on because they can activate the hip muscles with minimal joint movement. If this exercise causes sharp pain, reduce the pressure or ask a physical therapist to check your position.
2. Bridge With a Band or Ball
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Place a loop band around your thighs or a small pillow between your knees. Gently press out into the band, or in against the pillow, then lift your hips until your body forms a comfortable line from shoulders to knees. Pause briefly and lower with control.
Try two or three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. The bridge strengthens the gluteal muscles and posterior chain without placing direct pressure on the sore side of the hip. Keep the movement small at first. Raising too high and arching through the lower back changes the exercise from a hip-strengthening task into a back-dominant movement.
3. Standing Hip Abduction
Stand near a counter or chair for balance. Shift most of your weight onto the unaffected leg, keeping your pelvis level. Move the painful leg slowly out to the side a short distance, with toes pointing forward, then return it under control. Avoid leaning your body sideways to make the movement larger.
Perform two or three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. This exercise trains the gluteus medius, an important muscle for controlling pelvic position when you walk, climb stairs, or run. A smaller, precise movement is more effective than swinging the leg high. If standing on the other leg is painful, begin with lighter wall presses and progress later.
4. Sit-to-Stand
Sit toward the front of a firm chair with your feet about hip-width apart. Lean forward slightly from the hips, press through both feet, and stand without letting your knees collapse inward. Sit down slowly and repeat.
Start with two sets of 6 to 10 repetitions. As it becomes easier, use a lower chair, add a light weight, or slow the lowering phase. Sit-to-stands translate directly to everyday function and help improve the hip control needed for stairs, transfers, and walking.
5. Low Step-Up
Use a low, stable step. Place the affected leg on the step, press through that foot, and rise up while keeping your pelvis as level as possible. Lower back down slowly. Hold a railing or wall for support if needed.
Begin with one or two sets of 6 to 8 repetitions. Step-ups can be an excellent later-stage exercise, but they are not always suitable during a painful flare. If you feel a sharp outer-hip pain or cannot control the pelvis, reduce the step height or return to simpler strengthening first.
How Often Should You Do These Exercises?
Most people do well with strengthening work three to four days per week, while gentle isometric work may be used more often when it is comfortable. Recovery matters. Muscles and tendons need time to adapt, particularly if symptoms have been present for months or if you are returning to running, tennis, gym training, or longer walks.
Progress one variable at a time: repetitions, resistance, range of motion, step height, or frequency. Adding everything at once is a common reason symptoms flare. You should notice gradual gains in confidence and function over several weeks, not necessarily overnight relief.
Pain is useful information, but it should not be the only measure of progress. Track whether you can sleep more comfortably, walk farther, manage stairs more easily, or stand without shifting away from the painful side. These real-world changes often show that rehabilitation is working before the hip feels completely normal.
When Hip Pain Needs an Expert Assessment
Not every pain on the side of the hip is bursitis or GTPS. Pain that begins in the lower back can refer into the hip, while hip arthritis, tendon tears, stress injuries, and nerve irritation can create overlapping symptoms. An individual assessment helps identify what is being overloaded and why.
Seek prompt medical advice if you have severe pain after a fall, cannot bear weight, have fever or marked redness around the hip, experience unexplained weight loss, or develop new numbness or weakness in the leg. These symptoms need evaluation rather than an exercise-only approach.
A physical therapist can also help when pain is not improving after a few weeks, keeps returning, disrupts sleep, or prevents you from doing your normal activities. At Movel London Physiotherapy, a one-to-one assessment can identify movement habits, weakness, training errors, or spinal and pelvic factors contributing to the problem. Treatment may combine hands-on care, a progressive exercise plan, and practical advice for walking, work, sleep, and return to sport.
The most effective plan is the one you can perform consistently and progress safely. Start below your pain threshold, build strength with purpose, and give your hip enough time to adapt. Small, steady improvements in movement often lead to the most reliable return to comfortable, confident activity.