menopause and hip pain (gluteal tendinopathy)

You roll onto your side at 3am and there it is. A deep ache on the outside of your hip, right where the bone sticks out. Sitting cross-legged has become a bad idea. Stairs have opinions now. And nobody mentioned that hips were part of the perimenopause package.

Can menopause cause hip pain?

Hip pain does turn up more often for women in midlife, and hormones are part of the picture. One common source of outer hip pain is gluteal tendinopathy, which is discomfort in one or both hip joints caused by the hip tendons becoming irritated or damaged.

That said, hip pain has a long list of possible causes, and this is a named condition that needs a proper diagnosis. What follows is about the experience, not a substitute for having it looked at.

What does this kind of hip pain feel like?

Usually it's on the outside of the hip rather than deep in the groin, and it's at its most vocal when you're lying on it or getting up after sitting still. The hip can feel stiff, tender to touch, and sore in certain positions.

It shows up most in people who overuse the joint: runners, women in middle age, and women who sit or stand for long stretches. If your joints in general have started complaining, you're not imagining a pattern, and menopause and joint pain covers the wider version of this.

Why does hip pain show up in perimenopause?

Estrogen is thought to play a part in keeping tendons strong and elastic. As estrogen levels drop through perimenopause and menopause, tendons can become weaker, less flexible, and more prone to injury.

Hormones aren't the whole story though. This kind of hip pain is also associated with weak hip muscles, posture, walking posture, and crossing your legs when you sit. Which is mildly annoying news, because those are the things you've been doing at a desk for twenty years.

What makes hip pain worse day to day?

Mostly stillness and position. A few things worth paying attention to.

Long stretches of sitting

Every hour, get up and walk around your office, your home, or the block. It keeps the tendons from stiffening up while you're parked.

Crossed legs

Crossing your legs can compress the tendons and decrease blood flow to them. Sit with your feet flat on the floor instead. If your feet don't reach, a footrest under the desk sorts it.

Sleeping position

Lying directly on the sore hip is the classic 3am problem. If broken sleep has become its own issue, our notes on menopause and sleep problems are worth a look, because hip pain and bad nights feed each other.

Skipping the strength work

A physiotherapist can work with you on posture, walking gait, and exercises for your hip muscles and range of motion. This is the part most women skip and the part most worth booking.

What's on your plate

Focusing on fresh, natural foods and easing off highly processed, fried, and fast food is a reasonable thing to do at every meal. A Mediterranean, DASH, or vegetarian-style pattern may make a real difference in how you feel day to day. Getting enough protein, roughly 20 to 25 grams a meal, gives your body the essential amino acids it uses as building blocks for muscles and tendons. If the aching feels bigger than one joint, menopause and inflammation is the wider context.

When should you see a doctor about hip pain?

Always, honestly. You want other issues like osteoarthritis or a stress fracture ruled out rather than assumed away, and this is a diagnosable condition that deserves a proper assessment rather than guesswork from the internet.

Go urgently if you have severe pain that stops you walking or bearing weight on the hip, a fever, numbness or weakness in the leg, or unintentional weight loss. Those are red flags, not wait-and-see.

Related perimenopause and menopause symptoms

• Menopause and joint pain
• Menopause and shoulder pain
• Menopause and inflammation
• Menopause and restless legs syndrome

Frequently Asked Questions

What is gluteal tendinopathy?

It's discomfort in one or both hip joints, caused by the hip tendons becoming irritated or damaged. It's most commonly experienced by runners, women in middle age, and women who sit or stand for long periods.

Why do my hips hurt more since perimenopause started?

Estrogen is thought to help keep tendons strong and elastic, so as estrogen levels drop in perimenopause and menopause, tendons can become weaker, less flexible, and more prone to injury.

Is hip pain only about hormones?

No. This kind of hip pain is also associated with weak hip muscles, poor posture, walking posture, and crossing your legs when sitting.

Does sitting make hip pain worse?

It can. Sitting for long periods lets the tendons stiffen up, and crossing your legs can compress the tendons and decrease blood flow to them.

Can a physiotherapist help with hip pain?

A physiotherapist can work with you on posture, walking gait, and exercises to strengthen your hip muscles and increase your range of motion.

When is hip pain a red flag?

Severe pain that stops you walking or bearing weight on the hip, fever, numbness or weakness in the leg, and unintentional weight loss are all reasons to seek medical attention.