A 30 minute Hip Assessment for bursitis with an accredited exercise physiologist in Epping.
Prefer to talk? Call 03 7047 6261
Epping clinic · Accredited clinicians · Book online in a minute
These are common, well recognised patterns with lateral hip pain, and most people can work towards improving them with the right plan.
Hip bursitis, also called greater trochanteric pain syndrome, usually involves the tendons and small fluid filled sac (bursa) on the outside of the hip becoming irritated. It is less about one single injury and more about that area being asked to do more than it currently tolerates, day after day.
Load versus capacity is the simple way to think about it. Load is everything you ask your hip to do, walking, stairs, standing on one leg, sleeping on that side. Capacity is how much your hip tissues can currently handle before they get cranky. When load consistently outpaces capacity, the outside of the hip stays irritated.
This is more common in women aged 40 to 70, partly related to hip and pelvis shape and loading patterns, and it often builds gradually rather than starting with a clear injury. That gradual build up is part of why it can be confusing, there is no single moment to point to.
It tends to linger when the same loading pattern keeps repeating without the surrounding hip muscles being built up to share the work. Once the capacity of the area is genuinely improved, many people find they can tolerate stairs, walking and side lying again.
We build plans from the evidence, not guesswork. Here is some of it.
Exercise slightly reduces hip pain and improves physical function and global improvement in greater trochanteric pain syndrome compared to control conditions.
Kjeldsen et al. (2024). Exercise compared to a control condition or other conservative treatment options in patients with Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Physiotherapy. PubMed 38295551Exercise showed similar effects to corticosteroid injection for pain and superior effects for function in gluteal tendinopathy.
Patricio Cordeiro et al. (2024). Effects of exercise-based interventions on gluteal tendinopathy. Systematic review with meta-analysis. Sci Rep. PubMed 38336959Greater trochanteric pain syndrome affects 17.6% of adults aged 50 to 79 years, particularly women.
Rhim et al. (2024). Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. JBJS Rev. PubMed 39297780Managing tendon load through exercise and education on underlying pathomechanics is recommended for gluteal tendinopathy.
Grimaldi et al. (2015). Gluteal Tendinopathy: A Review of Mechanisms, Assessment and Management. Sports Med. PubMed 25969366Research summaries are general information, not advice about your situation. Your assessment is what tells us what applies to you.
Backing off the sore movements calms things down for a while, but the hip muscles that support the outside of the joint stay weak. As soon as you return to normal walking, stairs or a longer day on your feet, the same load hits the same tissue and the ache comes back.
Lateral hip pain often gets treated as a tight band that needs stretching. Compression through that area is usually part of the problem, so stretching or foam rolling the outside of the hip can sometimes irritate it further rather than settle it.
A standard hip sheet handed out without checking your specific movement pattern, sleeping position and daily loads misses the details that matter. The exercises might be reasonable in general but not staged correctly for where your hip is at right now.
The painful point on the outside of the hip is rarely the whole story. Hip and pelvis control, step pattern and how you load the leg through the day all feed into it, so working on the sore spot alone often gives short-lived relief.
We start by understanding how long this has been going on, what it is getting in the way of, and what you have already tried.
Your accredited exercise physiologist checks your hip movement, strength and how you walk, stand and load the leg.
We work out which daily loads and movement patterns are keeping the area irritated, and where your current capacity sits.
You get a clear, practical plan for what to do next, whether that is starting a loading program or booking further sessions.
If you are not sure whether this is bursitis or something else, come in and we will work it out together.
Answer a few quick questions and we will get in touch to book you in.
Accredited clinicians who will explain everything in plain language.
No referral is needed to book a Hip Assessment. If you have a GP care plan or DVA referral you can bring it along, but you can also book directly.
Comfortable clothes you can move in, such as shorts or leggings and flat shoes. We will be checking how you walk, stand and move, so avoid tight jeans or a long skirt.
30 minutes. This gives enough time to talk through your history, assess your hip and movement pattern, and start putting a plan together.
Exercise physiology is claimable through many private health extras policies, and Integral Movement is an NDIS registered provider. Bring your policy or plan details and we can talk through what applies to you.
Come in as you are. A flare tells us useful information about what is loading the hip, and we will work within what is comfortable on the day.
Yes, when it is set up correctly. The assessment is about finding the right starting point and building from there, not pushing through pain.
Yes, there is parking available at Willandra Drive, Epping, close to the clinic entrance.
You will leave with a clear picture of what is driving your bursitis and a plan for next steps, whether that is ongoing sessions with an exercise physiologist or a home program to start on.
Book a $79 Hip Assessment and leave with a clear plan for your bursitis.
Prefer to talk? Call 03 7047 6261.