Hip Pain: A Common Cause.
If you are experiencing persistent pain on the outside of your hip you’re not alone. Nearly 2 in every 1000 patients in the UK is diagnosed with Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS), a common condition that often affects active individuals, but in particular women over the age of 40.
What is Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS)?
GTPS is characterized by pain and tenderness around the greater trochanter, a bony prominence on the upper part of the femur (thigh bone). This pain can significantly impact your daily activities and exercise routine.
What structures are involved?
GTPS is a relatively new clinical diagnosis encompassing both bursitis—a fluid-filled sack that reduces tendon compression against bone—and tendinopathy of the Gluteus Medius muscle and/or Gluteus Minimus muscle before it attaches to the Greater Trochanter.
Read more about Tendinopathy here.
Common Symptoms of GTPS
Pain: Sharp or aching pain on the outside of your hip, often worse with activity.
Tenderness: Sensitivity to touch around the greater trochanter (side of the buttock).
Referral: Pain can radiate as an ache, often down the outside of the leg.
Difficulty Sleeping: Pain can disrupt sleep, especially when lying on the affected side.
Limited Range of Motion: Difficulty with hip flexion, extension, and rotation making putting on shoes & socks challenging.
When Might You Experience Pain?
During Exercise: Activities like running, cycling, or stair climbing can aggravate the condition.
Sitting for Prolonged Periods: Sitting, can exacerbate symptoms, making it particularly difficult to stand up.
Lying on the Affected Side: Sleeping on the painful side can worsen the pain.
If this doesn’t sound like your pain see Buttock & Gluteal Pain for other potential causes.
How a Sports Therapist or Physiotherapist can help
A Sports Therapist is well-equipped to assess, diagnose, and treat GTPS. Here's how I can help:
Assessment and Diagnosis:
Thorough Examination: Conduct a detailed assessment, including a physical examination and a review of your medical history.
Palpation: identify tender points to help pinpoint the structures involved.
Range of Motion Testing: Assess your hip's flexibility and strength.
Muscle Testing: Test the strength of the muscles surrounding your hip, this may be via a capacity test or using a handheld dynamometer.
Treatment:
Manual Therapy: techniques like soft tissue massage, joint mobilization, and trigger point therapy to reduce pain and improve mobility.
Neural Mobilisation: reducing tension in the nervous system can have immediate results.
Rehabilitation:
Exercise Prescription: Together we will design a personalized exercise program based on the results of the assessment. This may include strengthening the muscles around your hip, improving flexibility, and enhancing stability.
Education and Self-Management: This is a big part of my sessions. I want to EDUCATE you on self-management techniques, such as stretching and strengthening exercises, and EMPOWER you with the knowledge to prevent future flare-ups or manage them when they do occur, so that you can PERFORM at your best.
It’s not about rest, it’s about management.
If you're experiencing lateral hip pain, don't hesitate to contact me for a free, no-obligation phone call. Early intervention can help alleviate symptoms, improve function, and prevent chronic pain. MESSAGE ME.
