Locations:
Search IconSearch

Hip and Thigh Pain? Here’s What to Do for Bursitis

Gardening, jogging, tennis or golf may trigger painful inflammation

woman with burcitis pain

Do you tend to bump the car door shut with your hip? If so, don’t be surprised if your bursa complains.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Bursae are small sacs of fluid cushioning your bones, tendons and muscles near joints. Acute injury, overuse or degenerative arthritis in your hip or back can lead to a common condition known as bursitis.

This painful inflammation of the bursa and surrounding tissue commonly targets your hip and its many bursae. Typically, the bursae cushioning the outward portion of your upper thigh bone are affected.

Odds are good that you do something that puts you at risk of developing bursitis. Gardening, raking, jogging, bicycling long distances, and playing tennis, golf or even a musical instrument can increase your odds of developing bursitis.

Middle-aged and elderly women are especially prone to it, too. Ditto for people with very physical jobs, such as carpenters and house painters.

The bottom line? “Trochanteric bursitis can affect anyone,” says rheumatologist Scott Burg, DO.

What bursitis feels like

Trochanteric bursitis brings warmth, swelling and pain to your outer thigh that can spread down to your knee. Walking intensifies the pain, limping is common and climbing steps can become difficult. Tenderness on the side you’re lying on may interfere with sleep.

“But everyone’s response to pain is unique,” notes Dr. Burg. “Some people feel minimal discomfort that annoys them, while others sense pain more intensely. That’s why some people don’t need much anesthetic when a tooth is pulled, while others need a truckload.”

Advertisement

Home treatment with rest, ice and anti-inflammatories can help. It’s also important to avoid any activities that cause pain, including excessive standing.

When to seek help

Most trochanteric bursitis resolves on its own after two weeks. If home treatment hasn’t relieved your discomfort after two weeks, it’s time to see a doctor. A specialist in orthopaedics, rheumatology or physical medicine and rehabilitation can help.

Your doctor may ask you questions like:

  • Do you remember bumping your outer thigh or hip?
  • When did the pain begin?
  • Did you scrape your skin?
  • Did you get a fever?

Sometimes, your doctor may recommend physical therapy. If that doesn’t help, your provider may inject steroids into the bursa to relieve the inflammation.

Injections aren’t for everyone

“Injections can bring long-lasting and sometimes permanent relief,” says Dr. Burg. “But they won’t be effective if you keep doing the work or activity that caused your bursitis in the first place. You have to eliminate the source of the problem.”

In the rare cases where trochanteric bursitis persists after 12 months of medical therapy, surgery can be considered.

But chances are, with proper care, your bursa will stop complaining long before that.

Advertisement

Learn more about our editorial process.

Related Articles

Hand massaging foot with bunion
November 29, 2024/Orthopaedics
Can You Shrink Bunions Naturally?

Wearing shoe inserts, maintaining a healthy weight and using cold or heat therapy may give you relief

Healthcare provider in physical therapy room helping person walk with a walker
November 22, 2024/Orthopaedics
Here’s What Happens After a Knee Replacement

Full recovery takes a year or more, but you’ll likely be walking and driving within a few weeks if you follow your provider’s recovery plan

Bare feet of person standing on exercise mat, with one foot rolling on a roller
November 18, 2024/Orthopaedics
How To Stop Foot Pain From Standing All Day

Try stretching, massage, elevation and a supportive pair of shoes to help relieve foot aches and pains

Large hand with athlete-taped wrist and fingers gripping football on the field
October 16, 2024/Orthopaedics
Understanding the Concussion Protocol, From Little League to the NFL

Concussion protocol describes the steps needed to test for concussion and return to play — timelines vary

Couple raking leaves in their front yard by their house
October 16, 2024/Orthopaedics
Tips To Avoid Back Pain From Raking Leaves

Using proper form and the right equipment can help keep you injury-free while gathering up that colorful foliage

Person positioned on foam roller, stretching muscles
September 26, 2024/Exercise & Fitness
IT Band Stretches for Tight Muscles

Relieve a tight, achy and aggravated IT band, as well as hip and knee pain, with these at-home exercises

Person outside, grabbing shoulder
September 17, 2024/Orthopaedics
Tendonitis vs. Tendinosis: How Can I Tell the Difference?

Both are forms of tendinopathy, but one is more of an acute injury caused by inflammation, while the other is the result of degeneration over time

Person sitting on couch applying cold compress to arm, with heating pad nearby
September 6, 2024/Orthopaedics
Ice or Heat: What’s Better for Soothing Arthritis Pain?

Both types of therapy work differently, but they can both alleviate symptoms — especially when you alternate methods

Trending Topics

Person sitting on floor at night next to bed in deep thought, with partner sleeping in bed
Understanding Mental Load: What It Is and How It Affects You

When you get bogged down with mental tasks, you can experience mood changes, sleeplessness and more

Hands holding two different kinds of pain medications separated by a white line
Can You Take Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen Together?

You can alternate these OTCs to help with pain management and fever reduction

Smiling person with headphones on, sweeping floor in living room
Understanding Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT Exercise)

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis is all the activity we do that’s not technically exercise but is still important to your health and well-being

Ad