What if the diagnosis you have been given for your hip pain isn't the whole story?
You know the feeling.
Lying on your side at night, there's that sharp ache on the outside of your hip, exactly where you're resting your weight.
Walking upstairs, you brace yourself for the next step.
Getting out of the car, you swing your legs around and something catches.
Sound familiar?
Who Gets Lateral Hip Pain?
Lateral hip pain, also known as Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS) is much more common than many people realize.
It occurs more often in women than men, most often between 40 and 60. Researchers believe this is likely due to a combination of differences in hip biomechanics, age-related tendon changes, and hormonal factors that may influence tendon health.
You're also more likely to develop GTPS if you have low back pain, knee osteoarthritis, weakness of the hip muscles, or a sudden increase in walking, running, or other physical activity can also play a role since tendons generally need time to adapt to new demands. A higher body weight can also increase the load placed on the tendons around the hip.
The encouraging news is that many of these factors can be improved.
For years, we called this bursitis.
Today, we know that's often only part of the story.
For many people, the bursa isn't the main problem.
The tendon is.
Specifically, the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus tendons.
These muscles quietly stabilize your pelvis with every step you take. They work thousands of times every day without asking for much in return. Over time, if the demands placed on them exceed what they can tolerate, the tendons begin to struggle.
That's not simply an inflammation problem.
It's a capacity problem.
The tendon is no longer coping with the load being placed upon it.
And you can't solve a capacity problem by focusing only on inflammation.
What Does the Newest Research Show?
Between 2024 and 2026, several high-quality studies involving thousands of patients reached a remarkably consistent conclusion.
Education, progressive strengthening, and appropriate load management continue to have the strongest evidence for improving lateral hip pain over the long term.
Not prolonged rest.
Not a quick injection.
A gradual, structured program that helps the tendon tolerate load again.
The PRP Question
Then came one of the most interesting findings.
The 2025 HIPPO Trial, one of the best-designed studies in this field, compared PRP (platelet-rich plasma) with a placebo injection in a randomized, double-blind clinical trial.
The result surprised many clinicians.
Both groups improved.
PRP did not perform significantly better than the placebo.
So why did a newer systematic review published in 2026 report more encouraging results for PRP?
Because PRP isn't one standardized treatment.
It varies in platelet concentration, white blood cell content, preparation method, and injection technique. An accompanying editorial also noted that more than one-third of the included studies didn't clearly report which type of PRP had been used.
When different studies evaluate different versions of the treatment, it's not surprising that their conclusions differ.
That doesn't mean PRP has no role.
It means the evidence is still evolving.
What has remained remarkably consistent is the evidence supporting education, progressive strengthening, and appropriate load management.
What Would We Do?
If someone walked into our clinic today with this exact pain, that's where we would begin.
First, we'd identify what's actually contributing to your pain.
Then we'd gradually rebuild the tendon's capacity to tolerate load.
Finally, we'd help you return to the activities that matter, at a pace your body can comfortably manage.
Every person is different, which is why understanding the underlying cause comes before choosing the right treatment.
The Bottom Line
Your hip isn't necessarily inflamed.
It may simply be asking to become stronger than it is today.
This article summarizes findings from a 2024 systematic review, a 2025 network meta-analysis of 19 randomized clinical trials involving 1,701 participants, the 2025 HIPPO Trial, and a 2026 systematic review of 11 randomized trials involving 581 treated hips on PRP for extra-articular hip conditions, together with its accompanying editorial commentary. It is intended for educational purposes only and should not replace an individual medical assessment.
Ready to find out what's really causing your hip pain?
A thorough assessment can help determine whether your symptoms are coming from the gluteal tendons, the bursa, or another structure around the hip allowing treatment to be tailored to your individual needs.
Book a consultation today at www.kiropraktorerik.com
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Until the next signal,
Dr Erik Rudberg, DC
Most people wait for pain. The attentive ones notice the signal.
