What Is Gluteus Minimus Tendinosis? | Hip Pain Help at Thrive Sports & Spine

Karishma Patel, DC • August 5, 2025

Are you feeling pain on the side of your hip? It could be something called “gluteus minimus tendinosis.” At Thrive Sports & Spine, we want to help you understand what this means and how we can treat it together.


What is Gluteus Minimus Tendinosis?

Your gluteus minimus is a small muscle on the side of your hip. It helps you move your leg to the side and keeps your hip steady when you walk or run. Tendinosis means the tendon (the part that connects your muscle to your bone) has become hurt from being used too much or from getting older.

When people have gluteus minimus tendinosis, the tendon is worn down or inflamed. This often causes pain on the outside of the hip, especially when standing, walking, or lying on that side.


What Are the Symptoms?

- Aching or sharp pain on the side of your hip 
- Pain that gets worse when you walk, stand, or sleep on that side
- Trouble moving your hip or leg


What Causes It?
- Doing the same motions over and over, like running or climbing stairs
- Getting older (our tendons get weaker as we age)
- Weak hip or core muscles


How Do We Treat It?

At Thrive Sports & Spine, we use gentle, effective treatments for gluteus minimus tendinosis:

1. Rest and Ice: Take a break from activities that hurt. Put ice on your hip to help with swelling and pain.
2. Chiropractic and Physical Therapy: Our team teaches you exercises to make your hip muscles stronger and stretch safely. Strong muscles help your hip heal and prevent the pain from coming back.
3. Pain Relief: We may suggest medicine that helps with pain and swelling (like ibuprofen), but always talk to your doctor first.
4. Special Treatments: Sometimes, doctors suggest shots to calm the pain for a short time or other advanced therapies: Shockwave Therapy, Active Release Technique, etc.
5. Surgery: This is very rare and only for very serious cases. Almost everyone feels better without surgery!


Will My Hip Get Better?

Yes! Most people start to feel better with the right care. But healing can take a few months, so be patient and keep doing your therapy and exercises at home.


When Should I See a Doctor?

If your hip pain does not get better or gets worse, call your chiropractor or doctor. At Thrive Sports & Spine, our experts are here to help you get moving again—pain free!


If you are struggling with hip pain or think you have gluteus minimus tendinosis, contact us to schedule an appointment. We’re here to help you feel your best!

October 24, 2025
At our chiropractic office, we focus on more than just pain relief and alignment. True performance and recovery start with how well your body and brain communicate. A new study reminds us that inflammation, often seen as a purely physical issue, also impacts your cognitive performance. A recent cross-sectional study, “Inflammation and cognitive performance in elite athletes” (Wiedenbrüg et al., 2024), explored how inflammatory markers, metabolic hormones, micronutrients, and recovery status relate to cognitive functions in 350 elite athletes. The findings highlight how systemic inflammation and nutritional status influence brain performance, directly affecting how athletes think, react, and recover. Key Takeaways Inflammation matters for cognition. Elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines (like TNF-α) were linked to poorer working memory and reduced cognitive flexibility, particularly in athletes from closed-skill sports. Vitamin D supports brain performance. Higher vitamin D levels correlated with improved cognitive flexibility. Hormones, stress, and recovery are interconnected. Processing speed and attention were best explained by a mix of metabolic hormones and physiological/psychological stress levels. What This Means for Chiropractic Patients Chiropractic care supports nervous system balance, which plays a key role in inflammation regulation and brain–body communication. This research highlights that cognitive performance isn’t just about “mental focus”, it’s influenced by your physiology. Chronic inflammation can dull your brain. Even low-grade inflammation affects how quickly your nervous system processes information. Recovery is brain training. Sleep, nutrition, and stress management enhance both musculoskeletal and cognitive recovery. Chiropractic care supports total performance. By optimizing nervous system function and joint mobility, chiropractic helps reduce physiological stress and improve neuromuscular communication. Actionable Tips for Athletes and Active Adults Prioritize sleep and active recovery to reduce systemic inflammation. Support your body with anti-inflammatory nutrients (omega-3s, vitamin D, and antioxidants). Include regular mobility and chiropractic care to keep your nervous system adaptable and responsive. Address stress holistically, mental, physical, and nutritional. In Summary The brain and body are one system. Your training, recovery, and inflammation levels shape how effectively that system functions. Chiropractic care fits into this picture by helping regulate the nervous system, support recovery, and optimize both movement and cognition. Reference: Wiedenbrüg, C., et al. (2024). Inflammation and cognitive performance in elite athletes: A cross-sectional study. Brain, Behavior & Immunity – Health, 36, 101431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2024.101431
October 24, 2025
NHIS data shows chiropractic outperforms other treatments for spine pain. Over 96% of patients say chiropractic helps with back pain and neck pain.
October 24, 2025
Chiropractic use in the U.S. is rising. Learn why more adults are choosing chiropractic care for back pain, neck pain, and headaches — and how Thrive Sports & Spine can help you.
October 24, 2025
NHIS data reveals why millions choose chiropractic care. Discover the most common conditions chiropractors treat — from back and neck pain to headaches and arthritis.
October 24, 2025
Facet joint pain causes up to 45% of low back pain cases. Learn the signs, treatment options, and how chiropractic care at Thrive Sports & Spine can help.
September 30, 2025
Most people experience ongoing symptoms after a head injury, but figuring out what’s really causing them can be tricky. Two conditions that often confuse patients and doctors are Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS) and Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), including a type called Functional Cognitive Disorder (FCD). Both
September 30, 2025
Many people struggle with chronic lower back pain and want to know what’s really causing their discomfort. At Thrive Sports & Spine in South Jersey, our team uses advanced research-backed tests like the “Directional Preference” (DP) test to find out if your pain is coming from the discs in your spine – one of the most
September 30, 2025
Shoulder pain is a very common problem, often caused by rotator cuff injuries. Many people are looking for safe and effective ways to reduce pain and improve shoulder movement—one promising option is moving cupping therapy (MCT) combined with traditional physiotherapy.
September 30, 2025
Chronic lower back pain is a common problem, and one major cause is pain from the lumbar facet joints—small joints in the spine that support movement.
By Karishma Patel, DC September 2, 2025
The original article 'Achilles Subtendons Stiffness Differ in People with and without Achilles Tendinopathy '