Lying on your usual side suddenly hurts, or the outside of your hip complains on the stairs. It can be confusing when an everyday movement starts to feel different in midlife. Understanding what may be going on can help you choose a better place to start.

What might be going on

Pain on the outside of your hip often comes from the tendons that attach your buttock muscles to the top of your thigh bone. These tendons can become sensitive, especially to being squashed. That is why lying on that side, sitting with your legs crossed or standing with your weight on one hip can bring it on.

This type of outer hip pain is common in midlife. Research suggests around one in four women aged over 50 are affected. It is often called gluteal tendon pain or greater trochanteric pain syndrome, and it tends to respond well to the right changes. 

Why it can start around menopause

Oestrogen helps tendons stay healthy by supporting the collagen they are made from. As levels fall around menopause, tendons can become a little less able to cope with sudden or repeated load. Before menopause, women are less likely than men to develop tendon problems, but after menopause the rates become similar.

Other changes often play a part too. A recent increase in walking, hills or stairs, a new exercise class or more time sitting can all add to the load. None of this means your hip is damaged. It means the tendon needs a little time to adapt. Most people find this kind of pain eases as the load is adjusted and strength builds back.

Easing the pressure on the tendon

Small changes to how you sit, stand and lie can take pressure off the sore area:

• Sit with your legs uncrossed and both feet on the floor.
• Choose higher chairs, as low seats can make your knees rise above your hips.
• When standing, share your weight between both feet rather than leaning on one hip.
• If you sleep on the other side, put a pillow between your knees so your top leg does not drop across your body.
• If you sleep on the sore side, a soft topper or folded duvet underneath can ease the pressure.

Keeping activity steady

For the next week or two, shorter walks on level ground often feel easier than long ones with hills. You could break a longer walk into two shorter ones. Taking stairs one at a time, leading with your stronger leg going up, can help too.

The aim is a steady amount of activity each day, rather than a very busy day followed by several quiet ones, which tends to stir a tendon up.

Why stretching may not help

When your buttock feels tight, it is natural to want to stretch it. But stretches that pull your leg across your body squash the sore tendon against the bone, which can make it more sensitive. Gentle strengthening tends to help more.

Gentle strength to start

Once the area feels a little calmer, gentle strength work helps the tendon cope with more. Something to try most days:

• Standing side press. Stand side-on to a wall, with the sore side furthest away. Bend the knee nearest the wall and gently press it into the wall for 30 seconds, then relax.
• Sit to stand. Rise from a chair without using your hands, then lower yourself slowly.
• Bridges. Lie on your back with your knees bent, lift your hips, then lower them slowly.

If you would like to follow along, VIDA has short videos of sit to stands and bridges you can work through at your own pace. A mild ache that settles by the next day is usually fine. If it is sorer the following morning, ease back a little next time.

Your VIDA pain check-in is a good way to keep track of how things are shifting over time.

What to take away

• Sit with your legs uncrossed and both feet on the floor.
• Share your weight between both feet when standing.
• Put a pillow between your knees when lying on your other side.
• Keep activity steady and break longer walks into shorter ones.
• Choose gentle strength work over stretching the sore area.

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