Physical Therapy For Bursitis In Your Hips

Getting out of the car. Climbing the stairs. Lying on your side to sleep.

If any of these everyday activities have started to cause pain in your hip, you might be dealing with hip bursitis — a common source of chronic hip pain that can sneak up on you and disrupt your routine.

The good news?

It’s treatable and physical therapy is one of the most effective ways to reduce pain, rebuild strength, and get you moving comfortably again.

At Capitol Physical Therapy, we help people of all ages manage joint pain, recover from injuries, and stay active with confidence — and that includes treating conditions like hip bursitis.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at:

• What hip bursitis is and how it develops
• Common symptoms and triggers to watch for
• How physical therapy can help you recover and stay pain-free

Let’s dive in and talk about how to take care of your hips — and get you back to the things you love, without the pain.

What Is Hip Bursitis?

Your bursae are fluid filled sacs that pad most of the joints in your body.

You have over 150 bursae throughout your body.

This includes major ones in your knees, shoulders, elbows, and hips.

Each bursa protects your soft tissues, which includes your tendons, ligaments, and muscles, from the friction in your bones as you move.

Most people have two major bursae in each hip.

The iliopsoas bursa sits on the inside of your hip, near your groin.

The trochanteric bursa is on the outside of your hip, along the knobby part known as the greater trochanter.

Hip bursitis occurs when one or both bursae develops irritation or inflammation.

This can be painful.

Many people find that hip bursitis limits range of motion or makes certain positions and movements uncomfortable.

How Does Hip Bursitis Feel?

The main symptom of hip bursitis is pain in the outer side of your hip joint and the surrounding area.

You may also feel pain in your thigh, buttock, or the outer side of your affected leg.

This pain may also increase during certain activities or other triggers.

Common triggers for hip bursitis pain include:

• Getting up from a low seat, like the seat of a car
• Pressing the outer side of your hip with your fingers
• Lying on your hip
• Climbing stairs
• Walking or running
• Raising your leg up to the side
• Sitting in a posture that bothers your hips (eg. sitting cross legged)

What Causes Hip Bursitis?

Hip bursitis is usually the result of recurring stress or irritation of the hip joint.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), hip bursitis is more common in middle aged and senior populations.

However, it can occur in people of all ages.

Some of the common causes of hip bursitis include:

• Repetitive strain injury that irritates the bursae, like walking, stair climbing, or running on uneven surfaces
• Extra stress on the joint while walking due to an injury, leg length difference, or spinal conditions
• Muscle weakness
• Poor posture or alignment
• Hip surgery or hip replacement
• Bone spurs in the hip
• Infection
• Autoimmune disorders, such as thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, or gout
• Direct injury or trauma from being hit or falling on the hip

Seniors are often more prone to slip and fall injuries as they age, which can further increase their risk of developing this condition.

Multiple different health concerns may increase this risk, such as:

• Frailty
• Parkinson’s disease
• Huntington’s disease
• Stroke

As a result, your risk of hip bursitis may increase as you grow older.

How Can Physical Therapy Help With Hip Bursitis?

Your physical therapist can help with everything from pain management to recovery and strengthening.

Typically, your physical therapist will assess your needs and provide a treatment program designed for you.

Physical therapy for hip bursitis usually includes a mix of in person and at home treatments and exercise.

Your healing will depend on several factors, including your age and the condition of your hip.

Following the program provided by your physical therapist can improve your progress and help you get back to your daily life.

Some of the ways your physical therapist can help include:

1. Pain Management

Your physical therapist can address your pain through a combination of exercise, hands on therapy, and modifications.

Physical therapists are pain experts.

According to the University of Utah Health, physical therapists play a major role in the treatment of all types of chronic pain.

They may use treatments like heat and cold therapy, dry needling, ultrasound, TENS, and taping in person to reduce pain.

Hands on therapy can also help with hip bursitis pain.

Your physical therapist will teach you to modify your movement and activities as necessary.

They will also provide strengthening exercises to reduce strain and protect your joints.

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2. Flexibility Exercises

Tightness in your leg muscles or spinal muscles can also contribute to the pain of hip bursitis.

Muscle tightness related to weakness, injury, or other issues in another part of the body can impact your movement.

Hip bursitis can also cause you to tense or strain your muscles as you compensate to avoid pain.

Your physical therapist can show you how to stretch at home to increase your flexibility.

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3. Strength Exercises

Weakness or injury in your hip muscles often contributes to hip bursitis.

Your physical therapist can identify underlying muscular challenges that might play a role in your pain.

They can do this by adjusting your posture, assessing your movement, and testing the strength of various muscles.

Your physical therapist will show you how to use resistance bands, weights, and cardio equipment to strengthen muscle groups.

RELATED ARTICLE: Using Physical Therapy To Rebuild Strength

4. Range Of Motion Exercises

Your physical therapist can work with you to restore and improve your range of motion.

Range of motion therapy often starts with passive exercises, where your physical therapist moves your body safely.

This can help to release tension in muscles and ligaments and to mobilize stiff joints.

As your hip bursitis improves, your physical therapist will teach you versions of these movements that you can do at home.

5. Goal Setting For Returning To Your Daily Activities

Your physical therapist will ask you about your everyday activities, including factors like your work, your hobbies, and your lifestyle.

As your hip bursitis improves, your physical therapist can show you maintenance and strength building exercises.

They will work with you to identify the daily activities you want to return to or new ones to add to your life.

Your physical therapist will help you learn how to return to activities safely, with modifications to protect your joints.

Book Your Appointment With Our Physical Therapy Clinic Today

Hip bursitis can make even simple movements feel difficult — but with the right support, relief is absolutely within reach.

Physical therapy can help you reduce pain, restore strength, and confidently return to the activities you enjoy.

At Capitol Physical Therapy, our physical therapy team is here to guide you every step of the way with a personalized plan designed to help your hips move comfortably again.

You don’t have to push through the pain on your own.

Book your appointment with Capitol Physical Therapy today and take the first step toward feeling better.