THE HONEST GUIDE TO HIP AND LOWER BODY PAIN FOR WOMEN
Hip and Lower Body Pain: A Coach’s Guide
Piriformis tightness, SI joint pain, hip bursitis, outer hip and glute pain: what usually causes it, the exercises that help, and when to see a doctor, from a NASM corrective exercise specialist who keeps it simple and honest.
Why Hip and Glute Pain Is So Common
Your hips carry you through every step, stair and sit-to-stand of the day. When the muscles and tendons around them are strong and well loaded, you barely notice them. When they are overworked, under-trained or squashed by long hours of sitting, you feel it as a deep butt ache, a sore outer hip, or a nagging pain in the low back and pelvis.
I’m a NASM certified trainer and corrective exercise specialist, and hip and glute pain is one of the most common things the women I coach ask me about, especially after 40. Many assume it is just age. Most of the time it is very trainable.
This guide brings it together: piriformis stretches and piriformis syndrome, SI joint pain, hip bursitis and gluteal tendinopathy, outer hip and glute pain, hip pain at night, when walking, on stairs and after sitting, plus the exercises to pause and the red flags that need a doctor. Start with any card below.
Every Guide in the Hip and Lower Body Pain Series
Calculators and quizzes with straight answers.
What to Expect From These Guides
Every guide answers the question you actually searched, with clear steps you can start today. When something is hype, like a gadget or a one-stretch miracle cure, I say so plainly.
I’m a trainer, not a doctor or physical therapist. If you have numbness, leg weakness, pain after a fall, fever with joint pain or pain that wakes you at night, see your doctor or a physical therapist before you continue.
Strong hips are quiet hips. Load them a little, often.
If a stretch makes it worse, it is not the right stretch for you yet.
Coach Luke
Hip and Lower Body Pain: Quick Answers
Should I Stretch or Strengthen a Sore Hip?
Usually both, but strength matters more than most people expect. Gentle stretches help a tight piriformis, while outer hip pain from bursitis or gluteal tendinopathy tends to improve with steady strengthening rather than deep stretching.
Why Does My Hip Hurt More at Night?
Lying on the sore side squeezes the tendons on the outside of the hip. A pillow between your knees and sleeping on your back or the other side often helps. Pain that wakes you no matter how you lie needs a doctor.
Is It My Hip, My SI Joint or My Back?
Groin or front-of-hip pain often points to the hip joint, outer hip pain to the tendons there, and one-sided pain near the dimple above your buttock to the SI joint. Pain that starts in the back and runs below the knee is more likely from the spine.
When Should I See a Doctor About Hip Pain?
See one for numbness, leg weakness, pain after a fall, fever with joint pain, a hot swollen joint, pain that wakes you at night, trouble bearing weight or pain that is no better after two to three weeks of gentle care.
START HERE
Ready to Move With Calmer, Stronger Hips? Begin Here
Browse the whole series as it rolls out. Every guide is written for women 25+ who want simple, honest ways to ease hip and glute pain and keep moving.
Browse the Hip and Lower Body Pain Guides100% free content. No apps, no gimmicks, no pressure.
This content is educational and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you have numbness, leg weakness, pain after a fall, fever with joint pain or pain that wakes you at night, stop and talk to your doctor or a physical therapist before you continue.