Causes of hip bursitis. Bursitis is caused when that area of the body is overused or used the wrong way. It can also be caused by an injury, infection or disease. Hip bursitis is especially associated with the types of sports where the person needs to run, change direction quickly while they run or bear weight. The friction that these activities cause between the greater trochanter and the gluteus maximus muscle can irritate and inflame the bursa there. People who have legs that are not the same length are also at greater risk for hip bursitis. Some cases of hip bursitis have no known cause.
