Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome

Common signs

• Side-of-hip pain, tender directly over the bony prominence
• Pain lying on that side at night
• Worse with stairs, single-leg standing, or getting up after sitting
• Can refer down the outer thigh (but not with true nerve signs)

What to do first

• Stop the compression: pillow between knees at night, no cross-legged sitting, stand square on both feet
• Reduce (don't stop) aggravating volume: shorter walks, fewer hill/stair repeats temporarily
• Begin isometric then progressive glute-medius loading — tendons respond to graded load, not rest alone

The longer road

• This is a load-management-and-strengthening condition: expect an 8–12 week progressive program to change it
• Address running form and cadence, hip-drop patterns, and leg-length or gait asymmetries
• Injections can bring short-term relief; exercise wins the long run

About imaging

Clinical diagnosis; ultrasound or MRI reserved for stubborn cases or tear suspicion.

Daily self-care

• Pillow between knees; avoid side-lying on it
• Don't hang on one hip when standing
• Consistent strengthening 3× weekly for 3 months