Hip pain in menopause: gluteal tendinopathy, night pain and what helps
Updated 14 October 2026 · 6 min read · Based on NHS guidance and published research
You roll onto your side in bed and a deep ache wakes you. It's on the outside of your hip, and it's sore to touch. Stairs, hills and standing on one leg to pull your jeans on all set it off. By morning you're walking a bit stiffly.
If you're in your 40s or 50s, it's natural to wonder about a link between hip pain and menopause. There may well be one. The most common cause of pain on the outside of the hip, called gluteal tendinopathy, is most common in women in perimenopause and after menopause, according to Cambridge University Hospitals.
The good news is that it's well understood, and there are clear things that help. But hip pain has other causes too, so it's worth knowing the warning signs.
See a GP urgently or call 999 if:
- Call 999 or go to A&E if you have severe hip pain after a fall or injury, or you can't walk or put weight on your leg. Don't drive yourself.
- Get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if your hip is swollen and feels hot, you have a high temperature or feel shivery, or you have severe hip pain that started suddenly without a fall.
This advice is from the NHS hip pain page.
What is gluteal tendinopathy?
Your buttock muscles (the glutes) attach to a bony bump on the outside of your hip. Gluteal tendinopathy means the tendons that make that attachment have become sore and irritated.
You might also hear it called greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) or trochanteric bursitis. Arthritis UK (formerly Versus Arthritis) says doctors used to blame a small fluid-filled cushion called the bursa. It's now known that the tendons and muscles are usually involved too.
Common signs, from the Cambridge University Hospitals leaflet:
- pain and tenderness on the outside of the hip, right over the bony bump
- pain that can spread down the outside of your thigh
- pain when lying on that side, standing on one leg, or climbing stairs or hills
Arthritis UK adds that it often affects both hips.
Why is hip pain linked to menopause?
Gluteal tendinopathy affects about four times as many women as men, and it's most common around and after menopause.
Researchers think oestrogen is part of the reason. Australian physiotherapy researchers explain that as oestrogen falls, the body makes less collagen, the protein that keeps tendons strong, and tendons become thinner. This is still a theory being tested, not a proven cause.
Other changes at this age can add to it. Women's Health Concern, the patient arm of the British Menopause Society, says falling oestrogen causes muscle mass to drop, and that weight gain gets easier.
What else could be causing my hip pain?
Not all hip pain is gluteal tendinopathy. The NHS lists other common causes:
| Cause | Clues |
|---|---|
| Osteoarthritis | Over 45, pain worse when walking, stiff after moving |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | Pain and stiffness worse after resting, for example when you wake up |
| A sprain or strain | Pain, swelling or bruising after hard or repeated exercise |
| A joint infection | A hot, swollen hip and a high temperature. This needs urgent help |
| A broken hip | Severe pain and unable to walk after a fall |
Arthritis UK also points out that pain in the buttock or outer hip can come from your lower back. This is one reason it's worth getting it checked if it doesn't settle.
Bones matter at this age too. Women's Health Concern says falling oestrogen speeds up bone loss, which raises the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. If you fall and your hip hurts badly, get it checked straight away.
Why is hip pain worse at night?
Lying on the sore side presses on the tendons. That's why lying on that side is so often a problem. Australian researchers describe trouble lying on the affected side at night as one of the most common complaints.
Cambridge University Hospitals suggests:
- Don't lie on the sore hip. If you sleep on your side, lie on the other one.
- Put a pillow between your knees to keep your hips level.
- Try a softer topper. An eggshell mattress topper can ease the pressure.
If both hips hurt, ask your physio about the best way to lie.
What helps gluteal tendinopathy and hip pain?
Take the pressure off in the day
The aim is to avoid squashing the sore tendons. The Cambridge leaflet advises:
- don't cross your legs or ankles when sitting
- sit with your hips higher than your knees, and avoid low chairs
- stand with your weight on both feet, rather than hanging on one hip
- avoid stretches that pull across the outside of the hip and buttock
The NHS also suggests an ice pack wrapped in a towel for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours, and comfortable shoes with a soft, shock-absorbing sole.
Build strength, slowly
Exercise is the main treatment. Cambridge University Hospitals says physiotherapy is the best treatment according to the latest evidence, with strengthening at least four times a week. The best results come after at least 12 weeks.
The strongest evidence comes from a 2018 trial in the BMJ. It followed 204 people with gluteal tendinopathy, most of them women with an average age of 55. They had either 8 weeks of physio-led exercise and advice, a steroid injection, or a "wait and see" approach.
- After 8 weeks, the exercise and advice group did best.
- After a year, the exercise group was still more likely to say they felt much better than either of the other groups.
- After a year, pain levels in the exercise and injection groups were similar, and both were lower than in the wait-and-see group.
What a GP or physio can offer
- Physiotherapy, with exercises tailored to you.
- Pain relief. Arthritis UK says not to take over-the-counter painkillers for more than two weeks without speaking to your GP.
- A steroid injection. The Cambridge leaflet says this can ease pain in the short term, for three to six months. It's usually only considered after physio and changes to how you sit, stand and sleep.
Does HRT help hip pain?
It's too early to say. A 2022 Australian trial gave post-menopausal women with this kind of hip pain either an HRT cream or a dummy cream, alongside exercise and advice. Everyone improved. Women with a lower body weight did better with HRT, but it was a small trial and the evidence is early.
NICE says doctors should offer HRT for hot flushes and night sweats. If you have those as well, it's worth talking to your GP about.
Will it get better?
Usually, yes, though it takes patience. Cambridge University Hospitals says two-thirds of people see their symptoms go within a year.
When to see a GP
The NHS suggests booking a GP appointment if:
- the pain hasn't improved after 2 weeks of looking after it at home
- your hip is stiff for more than 30 minutes after you wake up
- hip pain stops you doing normal activities or is affecting your sleep
Arthritis UK adds: see a doctor if the pain is getting worse, walking or stairs are getting hard, or you feel feverish, unwell or are losing weight.
Where relaxation fits in
Hip pain can turn every night into a hunt for a comfortable position. If hip pain means you can't get comfortable at night, our menopause sleep hypnosis, Deep Sleep Through the Change, is a bedtime recording to help you relax and drift off. It won't do anything for your hip itself, so keep up the exercises. It's a relaxation recording, not a treatment, and it doesn't replace advice from your GP.
Related
You might also find our pages on menopause joint pain, frozen shoulder and menopause and back pain in menopause useful, or see all the perimenopause symptoms.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you're worried about any symptom, please talk to your GP or pharmacist.
