Physical therapy for
buttock pain

Does physical therapy help buttock pain?

Yes. Physical therapy can help many of the most common causes of buttock pain, including gluteal tendinopathy, sacroiliac joint pain, deep gluteal syndrome, and proximal hamstring tendinopathy. By improving hip and trunk strength, reducing tendon compression, and retraining movement patterns, physical therapy can lower pain and help you sit, stand, and walk with more ease.^{1 2 4 5}

Gluteal tendinopathy, often labelled greater trochanteric pain syndrome, responds well to a program that combines education with specific hip strengthening. A large trial found that people who did this program had better improvement at one year than those who only had a corticosteroid injection or a wait and see approach.^{1 2}

For sacroiliac joint pain, consensus guidelines recommend multimodal rehabilitation that focuses on lumbopelvic stabilization and hip strengthening before injections or surgery are considered. [5][6] Deep gluteal syndrome and proximal hamstring tendinopathy also benefit from exercise based care, with surgery reserved for selected people who do not improve after a solid course of rehabilitation.^{4 7 11 16}

Goals of physical therapy for buttock pain

Physical therapy aims to help you move with less pain and feel more confident in your daily activities, from walking and climbing stairs to sleeping and exercising.

Short term goals

• Reduce pain with sitting, standing, and lying on your side.
• Calm irritated tendons and joints by changing painful postures and loads.
• Improve basic hip and trunk control so that everyday tasks feel steadier.
• Help you understand what is driving your symptoms and what helps them settle.^{1 2 4 5}

Long term goals

• Build strength in your hip abductors and extensors so they can handle daily and sport demands.
• Reduce compressive stress on the gluteal and hamstring tendons during standing, walking, and side lying.
• Improve lumbopelvic stability to support the sacroiliac joint region.
• Support a safe return to your chosen activities with less risk of flare ups.^{1 2 4 5 8 11}

Your exact goals and exercise plan will vary depending on whether your pain is mainly from gluteal tendons, the sacroiliac joint, deep gluteal nerve entrapment, the hamstring tendon, or a mix of these.

What results can I expect with physical therapy?

Recovery depends on the main diagnosis, how long you have had symptoms, and how steadily you can follow your program.

• Gluteal tendinopathy / greater trochanteric pain syndrome In a large clinical trial, people who completed a structured program of education and exercise had better global improvement and satisfaction at 52 weeks than those who received a corticosteroid injection alone. Many notice meaningful change within 8 to 12 weeks, with ongoing gains over the year.^{1 2 3 8}
• Proximal hamstring tendinopathy This condition often improves with several months of progressive loading, hip and trunk strengthening, and gradual return to running or sport. Shockwave and other procedures have mixed evidence and are usually considered only after a good course of physical therapy.^{4 11 12}
• Sacroiliac joint pain Many people improve with multimodal rehabilitation that includes stabilization exercises, hip strengthening, and graded exposure to lifting and daily activities. Interventional procedures are reserved for people who do not respond to high quality conservative care.^{5 6}
• Deep gluteal syndrome Some people respond to postural changes, hip strengthening, and carefully graded neural loading. Others may need image guided injections or, in selected cases, surgical decompression in specialist centers. Outcomes are generally positive but evidence is still evolving.^{7 16}

Most people can expect better pain control, improved function, and greater confidence. Recovery looks different for each person, and your plan can be adjusted as you go.

Sword's approach

Sword Health helps people manage pain and movement issues with expert-guided AI care you can use from home. Our model combines clinical support with modern technology, designed to work around your life.

Sword makes recovery easier and more accessible. You get high-quality care at home, guided by clinicians and supported by smart technology.

• Care that adapts to your progress in real time
• Licensed experts guiding every step
• Simple, non-invasive, evidence-based programs
• Proven results for pain relief, movement, and satisfaction

Clinical insight

For many years, outer hip and buttock pain were often labelled “trochanteric bursitis,” and people were told to rest or have repeated injections. High quality studies have changed this view. We now understand that the gluteal tendons and how they are loaded play a central role. Reducing compressive positions, like lying on the sore side or crossing the legs, then building hip abductor capacity with a structured strengthening program leads to better long term outcomes than injections alone. ^{1 2 3 8}