Written By our Resilient Health Osteopath Dr Courtnay Wood
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) is an overarching term used to describe chronic pain and tenderness of the lateral (side) hip.
![hip_pain-adelaide-osteopath-resilient-health-chiropractor-massage-osteopathy.jpg](/images/blog/hip_pain-adelaide-osteopath-resilient-health-chiropractor-massage-osteopathy.jpg)
There are numerous structures that can contribute to lateral hip pain, these include, inflammation within a tendon or bursa, muscle tension/tears and ligamentous tension.
GTPS has a higher occurrence in women than men and symptoms can present as:
- Persistent pain in lateral (side) hip
- Radiations along lateral (side) thigh to knee; but rarely past the knee
- Pain worse with physical activity
- Pain worse when lying on the affected side
- Pain worse with prolonged sitting with legs crossed
- Pain worse with prolonged standing
- Pain when transitioning from sitting to standing
- Pain with climbing stairs
Some of the causes of GTPS include:
- Obesity
- A sudden increase in physical activity
- An increase in load to the tendons
- Repetitive trauma or compensation
- Pregnancy
- Co-existing lower back pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome
- Habitual standing/sitting that places imbalanced load on an unstable pelvis
What can you do at home to help with your greater trochanteric pain?
- Strengthening and exercising. Supervised exercise physiology, pilates, yoga or Qi Gong
- Heat when in a chronic condition or ice if in an acute flared condition
- Avoid excessive loading, compression and stretching – e.g. avoid sitting cross legged, or standing on one leg
- When sleeping, pop a pillow between your knees when lying on your side or under your knees when lying on your back.
Want to problem solve a little more and pre-exercise or CHECK IN with your body?
Try these exercises…
![osteopathy_resilient_health_chiropractic_tripod_foot](/images/blog/Adelaide_osteopath_knee_pain_foot_pain_hip_pain_osteopathy_resilient_health_chiropractic_tripod_foot.PNG)
Foot tripod
- Patient position: standing or sitting
- Concentrate on creating an even weight bearing distribution through both feet in 3 points – the ball of your big toe, the ball of your little toe and the center of your heel
Isometric glute VS wall
- Patient position: standing side on to a wall
- Lift your hip up to 90º, with the outside of your hip and knee on the wall
- Gently push your knee into the wall
- You can ask your Resilient Health practitioner to try this with a chi ball (see in pic with text) if you get good at this one!
- You should feel a small contraction through you buttock region
- Hold this for 5 seconds, relax and repeat
- Don’t forget to do the other side too!
*If this one is a little tricky for you- you can opt for a banded effort:
![isoclam](/images/blog/Adelaide_osteopath_knee_pain_foot_pain_hip_pain_osteopathy_resilient_health_chiropractic_isometric_clam.PNG)
Bridges
- Patient position: lying on your back with your knees bent
- Activate your core, by drawing your belly button to your spine
- Gently curl your tailbone off the floor and lift your spine off the floor towards the ceiling, one segment at a time
- Pause at the top, making sure the front of your body is in a straight line, the slowly lower your body back to the floor, one segment at a time
See you in the clinic!![osteopathy resilient health Adelaide](/images/resilient-health-bird-logo.png)
The Resilient Health Team
*Sketched images commissioned from @thejaquesstudio
References:
Williams BS, Cohen SP. Greater trochanteric pain syndrome: a review of anatomy, diagnosis and treatment. Anesthesia & Analgesia. 2009 May 1;108(5):1662-70.
Hip Pain Image from: https://my360pt.com/hip-pain