Trochanteric bursitis treatment in Manchester
Sleep on your side again, walk further and climb stairs without that ache on the outside of your hip.
Trochanteric bursitis physio in Manchester city centre
Reviewed by Nick Chatziviltsos, PgDip, HCPC-registered physiotherapist (PH114351), November 2026
At a glance
Who gets it: Most often women aged 40 to 60, runners and walkers who've increased distance, and people who sit cross-legged or stand on one hip.
Main symptom: Pain on the outside of the hip, worse lying on that side, climbing stairs or after sitting with crossed legs.
What helps most: Education plus exercise. In the LEAP trial it beat a steroid injection at 8 weeks and 1 year.
Sessions: Many people need 4 to 8 over 8 to 12 weeks.
Avoid: Stretching the leg across your body, foam rolling the sore spot, and crossing your legs.
Get checked quickly: A hot, swollen hip with fever, or severe pain after a fall: see a doctor first.
In a large trial of people with outer hip pain, education plus exercise gave better results than a steroid injection at 8 weeks and at a year. That's useful to know if you've been told an injection is your only option.
Trochanteric bursitis, now usually called greater trochanteric pain syndrome or GTPS, causes pain on the outside of the hip. It's often worst at night lying on that side, and on stairs, hills or long walks. We see it often at our clinic inside F45 NQ on Piccadilly, especially in women over 40, runners and people building up their walking.
It can take time to settle, but it responds well to the right plan. A good physio answers three questions: what's irritated, what's squashing or overloading it, and what your hip needs to cope with again.
🛠️ How we treat trochanteric bursitis
Every GTPS plan at Athos Physio follows the same three steps. What changes is what we find at each one.
Step 1. Find the root cause of your trochanteric bursitis
You feel it on the bony point of your hip, but the reason it flared is usually in how that area is loaded. In your first 60-minute session we work out three things:
What's irritated: the gluteus medius and minimus tendons where they attach to the hip bone, and sometimes the bursa next to them
What's overloading it: positions that squash the tendons, such as crossing your legs, hanging on one hip or lying on that side, plus weak glutes or a sudden jump in walking, running or hills
What's keeping it sensitive: poor sleep from the night pain, menopause-related changes, low back pain, or stopping activity altogether
We show you on a 3D anatomy model on a tablet how the tendons wrap over the bone, and why certain positions press them against it. Once you see it, the changes we ask for make sense.
Step 2. Treat what's driving it
Take the squeeze off. We show you how to sit, stand, sleep and stretch without compressing the tendons. This often eases night pain within a couple of weeks.
Calm the pain. Soft tissue work to the glutes, thigh and lower back, and joint mobilisation for a stiff hip or lower back. We avoid heavy pressure over the painful spot.
Load the tendon early. Gentle isometric holds, such as pressing your knee out against a band, often reduce pain and start rebuilding the tendon.
Treat the areas around it. A stiff lower back, knee arthritis or a sore foot can change how you walk. We work on those too.
Step 3. Build a hip that lasts
Most people stop when the night pain goes, then flare again after a long walk or a holiday. Step 3 makes your hip strong enough for what you want to do:
Progressive strength work, such as side-lying hip abduction with a straight leg, bridges and single-leg bridges, step-ups, sit-to-stands, side-steps with a band and single-leg balance work.
Rehab on the gym floor. Being inside F45 NQ means we can progress to split squats, sled pushes and loaded carries, and check your F45 sessions for moves that compress the hip.
Practise what caused it. Stairs, hills, longer walks or your running, built up gradually so your tendons adapt.
A flare-up plan. What to change for a few days if it niggles again, so you can manage it yourself.
We finish when you can walk, sleep and train without thinking about your hip, not just when the pain is lower.
Want to sleep on your side again? Your first 60-minute session finds what's loading your hip and starts treatment the same day. Book your assessment →
🔍 What is trochanteric bursitis?
The bony point on the outside of your hip is the greater trochanter. Two of your buttock muscles, gluteus medius and minimus, attach here by tendons. Next to them sit small fluid-filled sacs called bursae.
It was once thought the bursa was inflamed, hence "bursitis". We now know the main problem is usually the gluteal tendons themselves, sometimes with an irritated bursa too. NHS guidance notes inflammation isn't always present. That's why the name changed to GTPS, and why treatment focuses on the tendons.
Patient.info estimates it affects about 1 in 300 people each year. It's most common in women aged 40 to 60, but also in younger runners, footballers and dancers. Clinicians often group it by how long it has lasted:
Recent (under 6 weeks): tendons recently overloaded or compressed; clear trigger, such as a walking holiday or new running plan; load changes, sleep advice, isometric holds.
Persistent (6 weeks to 3 months): tendons sensitised, glutes weaker; daily pain, night pain, a limp after walking; full rehab plan with progressive strengthening.
Long-standing (over 3 months): ongoing tendon changes; can take a long time to settle; pain most days, poor sleep, lower activity; longer plan; check for other causes; possible specialist referral.
Other causes of hip pain we treat
Hip osteoarthritis: pain mainly in the groin, stiff in the morning. See knee and hip osteoarthritis.
Pain from the lower back: buttock pain spreading down the leg. See lower back pain and sciatica.
IT band syndrome: pain on the outside of the knee in runners. See IT band syndrome.
Other hip pain: front-of-hip, groin and hamstring problems. See hip pain.
⚠️ Trochanteric bursitis symptoms
Most people with GTPS notice a mix of these:
Aching or burning pain on the outside of the hip, over the bony point
Pain spreading down the outside of the thigh, sometimes towards the knee
Pain lying on the sore side, which can wake you or stop you sleeping
Sometimes pain lying on the other side too, as the top leg drops across
Pain on stairs, hills, standing on one leg or getting in and out of a car
Pain after sitting with your legs crossed or in a low chair
A limp or ache after walking or running further than usual
Is it GTPS, your hip joint or your back?
These clues help us tell them apart:
Pain mainly in the groin, stiffness first thing and pain putting on socks, points to the hip joint. See knee and hip osteoarthritis.
Buttock pain spreading below the knee, with tingling or numbness, suggests a nerve from the lower back. See sciatica.
Pain on both sides at once, with back stiffness, is often worth checking the lower back. See lower back pain.
Pain on the outside of the knee in a runner is more likely IT band syndrome than GTPS.
Not being able to lift your leg out to the side at all when lying on your good side may mean a larger tendon tear. That needs a specialist opinion.
We test each of these at your first session rather than guessing from symptoms alone.
🔍 What causes trochanteric bursitis?
Tendons get irritated by two things: too much load too soon, and being squashed against bone for long periods. GTPS usually has both.
Common triggers we see in Manchester
A jump in walking. A new step-count goal, a walking holiday, or a switch to walking to work from Piccadilly or Victoria.
Running, especially hills and cambered pavements. Or a sudden jump in weekly mileage before a half marathon.
Standing on one hip. Waiting for trams, holding a child on your hip or long days on your feet.
Sitting with crossed legs, or in low sofas and car seats with your knees higher than your hips.
Gym moves that compress the hip. Deep side lunges, cross-body stretches and lots of side-lying work in one session.
Hormonal changes around the menopause, which can affect tendons.
A fall onto the side of the hip.
What doesn't usually help
Stretching the outer hip and IT band by pulling the leg across your body often makes GTPS worse, as it squashes the tendons. So does a foam roller pressed into the sore spot. Resting completely isn't the answer either. Tendons need the right load to recover.
🧪 How we assess trochanteric bursitis
Your first session lasts 60 minutes, so there's time to assess properly and start treatment the same day. Here's what happens:
Your story (10 to 15 minutes). When it started, what makes it worse, your sleep, walking, work and training, and what you want to get back to. We may use the VISA-G questionnaire to measure how much it affects you.
Safety screen. We check for the warning signs listed on this page, so you know nothing serious has been missed.
Feel and look. We press over the greater trochanter and watch how you walk, stand on one leg and climb a step.
Tendon tests. The 30-second single-leg stance test, FABER and FADER tests, and resisted abduction and external rotation. Reproducing your outer hip pain with these makes GTPS more likely.
Hip joint checks. Hip movement, especially rotation, to see whether arthritis or the joint itself is part of the picture.
Back and nerve checks. Lower back movement, plus the straight leg raise and slump tests if pain spreads down the leg.
Your diagnosis and plan. In plain English: what's irritated, why now, what to change this week, how to sleep tonight, and how many sessions we expect.
You'll leave with treatment started, the first two or three exercises of your custom rehab plan, and clear advice on sitting, standing and sleeping. If anything suggests you need an X-ray, a scan or a doctor's opinion, we'll tell you and write to your GP.
🛠️ Trochanteric bursitis treatment at Athos Physio
Every plan is built around your diagnosis and what you want to get back to. It moves through four phases. Tendons adapt slowly, so this is a steady plan, not a quick fix.
Settle (weeks 0 to 2). Reduce compression and calm night pain. Sleep, sitting and standing changes; isometric abduction holds; soft tissue work and mobilisation; walking at a level that doesn't flare it.
Load (weeks 2 to 6). Start rebuilding the gluteal tendons. Bridges, side-lying abduction with a straight leg, wall-assisted single-leg balance, sit-to-stands; IASTM to the thigh and glutes if it helps.
Strengthen (weeks 6 to 12). Build capacity for stairs, hills and long walks. Step-ups, split squats, banded side-steps, single-leg bridges, loaded carries; gradual walking and hill targets.
Return and prevent (week 12 onwards). Back to full walking, running or training. Return-to-run or hiking plan; long-term glute programme; a flare-up plan.
Hands-on treatment helps most in the first phase. It eases pain, but tendons recover through load, so it works best alongside exercise, not instead of it.
Throughout, you'll have a clear home programme, usually 3 to 5 exercises taking about 15 minutes a day. We review and progress it each session. Many people need 4 to 8 sessions spread over 8 to 12 weeks, with more time between sessions as you progress.
What actually works for trochanteric bursitis?
There's no NICE guideline for GTPS, but the evidence is clearer than for many conditions. The LEAP trial, published in the BMJ in 2018, compared three approaches in 204 adults with gluteal tendinopathy.
What the research shows: Education plus exercise (14 physio sessions over 8 weeks) gave more people a successful outcome than a steroid injection or wait-and-see, at both 8 weeks and a year; A steroid injection helped pain more than wait-and-see, but at a year its pain benefit was no better than education plus exercise; Wait and see did least well.
What NHS guidance recommends: education and changing aggravating activities, such as lying on the sore side; a strengthening and mobilising programme for the glutes, which can take many months; ice and simple painkillers if needed; weight loss support where it's relevant; no routine scans in primary care.
NHS services differ on injections. One Scottish health board advises against them; another lists up to two as an option. Patient.info notes injection benefit tends to peak at around 6 weeks and often fades. We don't inject at Athos Physio, and we'll discuss with you and your GP if it's worth considering.
⏱️ How long does trochanteric bursitis take to heal?
Patient.info reports that over 90% of people recover fully with non-surgical treatment, though it can take months. These are typical ranges we see. Your own timeline depends on how long you've had it and how consistently you do the plan.
Recent (under 6 weeks): feeling much better: 3 to 6 weeks; back to full activity: 2 to 3 months.
Persistent (6 weeks to 3 months): feeling much better: 6 to 12 weeks; back to full activity: 3 to 4 months.
Long-standing (over 3 months): feeling much better: 2 to 4 months; back to full activity: 4 to 6 months or more.
Runners returning to full mileage: feeling much better: 4 to 8 weeks; back to full activity: 3 to 4 months.
"Back to full activity" means long walks, hills, running or your normal gym sessions, not just sleeping better. That last step is where most people stop too early, and it's the step that protects you from the next flare-up.
✅ Living with trochanteric bursitis
Sleeping
Sleep on your back, or on your good side with a pillow between your knees and ankles so your top leg doesn't drop across.
Try a soft mattress topper if you need to lie on the sore side.
Don't lie on the sore side to "push through" it. That squashes the tendon all night.
Sitting and standing
Don't cross your legs, and avoid low chairs where your knees sit above your hips.
Stand with your weight even on both feet, rather than hanging on one hip. Watch this when waiting for a tram or holding a child.
At a desk, sit with your feet flat and knees slightly apart.
Walking, running and the gym
Keep walking, but in amounts your hip accepts. Shorter, flatter walks, more often, are a good start.
Runners: cut back hills and cambers first, then rebuild mileage by around 10% a week if your hip stays settled.
In the gym, pause deep side lunges and cross-body stretches until we've rebuilt them. Most other F45 work can carry on with tweaks.
Self-help in the first few days
Use an ice pack wrapped in a cloth for 10 to 20 minutes, a few times a day
Speak to a pharmacist about pain relief if you need it
Try a gentle isometric hold: lying on your back, loop a band around your knees and press out for 30 seconds, 5 times
Avoid stretches that pull your leg across your body
Should I have an injection or physio for trochanteric bursitis?
It's a common question, and both have a place.
Physio first is what the best evidence supports. Education plus exercise gave better overall results than an injection at 8 weeks and a year in the LEAP trial.
An injection may be worth discussing with your GP if night pain is severe and stopping you doing the exercises. Its benefit often fades after a couple of months, so it works best as a window to start rehab, not instead of it.
Surgery is rarely needed. NHS guidance notes orthopaedic surgeons are unlikely to operate for GTPS. It may be considered for a large tendon tear or pain that hasn't responded to a long period of good rehab.
If you've already had an injection, rehab is still worth doing. It's what reduces the chance of the pain returning.
Related conditions
Knee and hip osteoarthritis: a stiff, aching hip that's worse after rest
SI joint pain: one-sided pain over the dimple at the back of the pelvis
IT band syndrome: pain on the outside of the knee when you run
Hip pain: every hip problem we treat
❓ Trochanteric bursitis FAQs
🚨 Physio, GP or A&E?
Most outer hip pain is safe to manage with a physio. A few symptoms need a doctor first. This list follows the NHS guidance on hip pain.
Book a physio (no GP referral needed): pain on the outside of the hip, worse lying on it, walking or on stairs; pain that hasn't improved after 2 weeks of home treatment; hip pain stopping you sleeping, walking or training.
See your GP: hip stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes after waking, or pain that keeps getting worse (see your GP or book a physio); pain that's worse at night whatever position you're in, unexplained weight loss, or a history of cancer.
Call your GP urgently or 111: a hip that is hot and swollen, the skin has changed colour, or you have a high temperature or feel shivery (call 111 urgently); severe hip pain that came on suddenly without a fall (call 111 urgently).
Call 999 or go to A&E: severe hip pain after a fall, or you can't walk or put weight on the leg (call 999 or go to A&E; don't drive yourself); tingling or loss of feeling in your hip or leg after an injury (call 999 or go to A&E).
A hot, swollen hip with fever can be a joint infection, and a fall with severe pain may be a fracture. Both need a doctor, not a physio. If you're ever unsure, ring us on 07475 433300 and we'll tell you honestly whether you should see us or someone else first.
Not sure whether it's your hip joint, your back or GTPS? Book a free 15-minute call and we'll tell you honestly. Book a free call →
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Education and exercise that rebuilds the gluteal tendons. In a large trial, this gave better long-term results than a steroid injection or waiting to see.
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Sleep on your back, or on your good side with a pillow between your knees and ankles. This stops your top leg dropping across and squashing the sore tendons.
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Avoid stretches that pull your leg across your body, such as the IT band stretch. They can compress the tendons and make the pain worse.
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Yes, in amounts your hip tolerates. Shorter, flatter walks are a good place to start, then build up gradually.
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Start with gentle isometric holds, such as pressing your knees out against a band. We then add bridges, side-lying leg lifts, step-ups and single-leg work.
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An injection can ease pain in the short term, but the benefit often fades. Research shows education plus exercise gives better results over a year.
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No. Trochanteric bursitis causes pain on the outside of the hip, while hip arthritis usually causes pain in the groin. We'll assess which you have.
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It varies. Many people improve over 6 to 12 weeks with a good plan, but long-standing cases can take several months.
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Often yes, at a reduced level. We usually cut back hills and long runs first, then rebuild your mileage as your strength improves.
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Most people don't. It's usually diagnosed from your symptoms and examination. If we suspect a tendon tear or a hip joint problem, we'll write to your GP.
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Your first 60-minute assessment and treatment is £95. Follow-up sessions are £55 for 30 minutes, £95 for 60 minutes or £135 for 90 minutes. See our price list for all fees.
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Yes. Book a free 15-minute consultation and we'll tell you honestly whether physio is the right next step for your hip.
📍 Book trochanteric bursitis physio in Manchester city centre
Athos Physio is inside F45 NQ, 77 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2BU, a two-minute walk from Piccadilly station and Piccadilly Gardens. We're open 7am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, so you can come in before or after work.
Your first appointment is a 60-minute assessment and treatment (£95). Follow-ups are £55 for 30 minutes, £95 for 60 minutes or £135 for 90 minutes. We work with Bupa, WPA, Vitality and Aviva, and you can see all our fees on the price list.
Can't get into town? We also offer home physio visits and online physiotherapy. Not sure physio is right for you? Book a free 15-minute call and we'll talk it through.
Call or WhatsApp 07475 433300, or book online.
Other services: Physiotherapy and active rehab · Sports massage · Pregnancy and postnatal physio · Home visits · Online physio
Written by Nick Chatziviltsos, physiotherapist and founder of Athos Physio, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, HCPC registered. Last reviewed: November 2026.
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