My Fascia Fan Protocol for Hip Pain

Hip pain can sneak up on you, especially if you spend long hours at a desk job or have an active lifestyle. People assume their discomfort around the hip is hip bursitis, but often the real cause lies in the fascia and tissues surrounding the greater trochanter of the femur (a.k.a. the hip bone). Here, I share the techniques I use to release the Fascia Fan above your hip bone. It targets these tight tissues to bring lasting relief.

Understanding the Source of Hip Pain

When you feel pain on the outer side of your hip, it’s easy to blame hip bursitis (that’s the inflammation of the bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that cushions your hip joint). While bursitis can cause pain, many cases actually stem from tight fascia and restricted tendons converging around the greater trochanter. This area forms what I call a Fascia Fan, layers of connective tissue that can become stiff and limit movement.

If you have a desk job, sitting for long periods can worsen this tightness. The fascia loses hydration, circulation decreases, making the tissues less flexible and more prone to irritation. This can cause your hip to pop or feel sore when you move.

What Is my Fascia Fan Protocol?

The Fascia Fan Protocol is a hands-on manual therapy technique designed to:

• Loosen tight fascia layers around the greater trochanter

• Releases tension that compresses the bursa and tendons

• Improve blood circulation and rehydrate tissues to speed up healing

• Restore natural movement patterns in the hip

• Soften tension within tissues for lasting comfort

• Reduce the chance of recurring pain or popping

  
  

This method includes my Hip Bone Sandwich where I gently smoosh the tissues on either side of the hip bone to release tension. It’s a slow, deliberate process that targets the Fascia Fan, not just the bursa that cushions the hip joint (remember the video has been edited for speed for social media and we go slow and low in the massage studio).

Pain Protocol for Releasing Fascia Fan on the Hip

Step-by-Step Fascia Fan Release Technique

Here’s how I approach the protocol during a session:

1. Create the Hip Bone Sandwich

   I use my hands to gently press and smoosh the tissues on both sides of the greater trochanter. This “sandwich” motion helps break up adhesions and smooth tight spots within the fascia.

   
   

2. Stretch Fascia Layers

   After loosening the tissues, I apply opposite tension forces. This means slowly pulling the fascia in different directions to stretch the deeper layers beneath. This step improves blood flow and encourages the fascia to rehydrate.

   
   

3. Repeat and Lengthen

   The process of smooshing and stretching is repeated multiple times. Each cycle helps the tissues become more flexible and less prone to irritation.

   
   

4. Finish with Gentle Compression

   To complete the session, I apply a few more gentle smooshes to relax the tissues and promote relaxation.

   
   

This protocol is usually done slowly to allow the fascia to respond in its own time and a level of release that is comfortable. The video above is sped up for time, but in real life, patience is key.

Fascia, muscles, and tendons of the hip all converge around your hip bone

Why This Protocol Works Better Than Just Treating Hip Bursitis

Many treatments focus solely on reducing inflammation in the bursa, such as ice, anti-inflammatory meds, or injections. While these can help temporarily, they don’t address the underlying tight fascia that often caused the pain to begin with. If your hip keeps popping or feels stiff despite treatment for bursitis, the fascia fan might be the missing piece.

Practical Tips for Managing Hip Pain at Home

You don’t need to wait for a professional session to start helping your hip. Here are some simple ways to support fascia health:

• Take breaks from sitting: Every 30-45 minutes stand and move around.

• Gentle hip stretches: Focus on the outer hip and gluteus muscles to keep fascia flexible.

• Hydrate well: So the fascial layers may easily slide against each other.

• Use a massage ball: A 4" soft myofascial release ball can gently soften tight spots around the area of your greater trochanter.

• Deep breathing: Practice inhaling through your nose and then loooooonnnnnng exhaling through your mouth and make a gutteral sound while you do it. This changes the ratio of carbon monoxide to oxygen, lowering your carbon monoxide levels. It also stimulates your vagus nerve, which will signal your parasympathetic nervous system to activate. When the parasympathetic nervous system is activate, you chill out and relax.

  
  

Remember, fascia responds best to slow, consistent care rather than quick fixes.

When to Seek Professional Help

Hip pain is often more than just bursitis. The fascia fan around your greater trochanter plays a role in how your hip feels and moves. It's where the deep rotators muscles attach by tendons. It's where a lot of muscles converge. By focusing on releasing and stretching these tissues, you can improve blood flow, reduce pain, and regain mobility.

If your hip pain persists for more than a week, worsens with activity, or limits your daily movement, it’s a good idea to consult a healthcare provider. They can help rule out other causes and guide you through manual (massage) therapy techniques like myofascial release or targeted muscle relaxation.

If you spend a lot of time at a desk job or notice your hip popping, consider trying myofascial release or other manual therapy techniques. Your hips will thank you with better movement and less discomfort. If you are in Las Vegas, massage therapy services can be booked through my website by clicking this link. Hope to see you on my massage table!