Gluteal Tendinopathy
Gluteal Tendinopathy
Gluteal tendinopathy is common in both the athletic and non-athletic population. It tends to affect females over 50 years of age (Segal et al. 2007) and is often associated with changes in load. Symptoms tend to be located on the outside of the hip and are aggravated by walking or running.
A study by Mellor et al. (2016) showed a 78% success rate in those who received exercise and education, compared to 58% success rate with corticosteroid injection, and 52% success rate in the wait and see group.
Exercises included in this study focused on functional retraining, targeted strengthening for the hip and thigh muscles, and dynamic control of adduction during function.
Picture demonstrating the typical pain pattern in gluteal tendinopathy, from Williams and Cohan (2009).
If you have pain on the outside of your hip, be sure to see a Chartered Physiotherapist who will perform a full assessment and provide you with the most appropriate management plan to suit your needs.
Simple tips to help reduce pain
- Avoid crossing legs
- Avoid standing on one leg
- When lying on non-affected side, place a pillow between knees
- When lying on affected side, have a spare duvet or soft blanket on the same side
If you have any questions, contact us on 0749111010 or via email at aiveen@jtphysio.com.
References
Segal, N.A., Felson, D.T., Torner, J.C., Zhu, Y., Curtis, J.R., Niu, J., Nevitt, M.C. and Group, M.O.M.S. (2007) Greater trochanteric pain syndrome: epidemiology and associated factors. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation , 88(8), 988-992.
Williams, B.S. and Cohen, S.P. (2009) Greater trochanteric pain syndrome: a review of anatomy, diagnosis and treatment. Anesthesia & Analgesia , 108(5), 1662-1670.
Mellor, R., Grimaldi, A., Wajswelner, H., Hodges, P., Abbott, J.H., Bennell, K. and Vicenzino, B. (2016) Exercise and load modification versus corticosteroid injection versus ‘wait and see’for persistent gluteus medius/minimus tendinopathy (the LEAP trial): a protocol for a randomised clinical trial. BMC musculoskeletal disorders , 17(1), 196.
Author: Aiveen Lavery
