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Overview
Trochanteric bursitis is inflammation of the bursa located over the greater trochanter, the prominent bony region on the outer side of the hip. A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between bone and the muscles and tendons, reducing friction.
Irritation or inflammation of this bursa causes marked pain on the outer side of the hip. The pain often radiates toward the thigh and increases especially when lying on that side. The good news is that trochanteric bursitis largely heals with correct conservative treatment, without requiring surgery.
Causes
The main factors that lead to trochanteric bursitis:
- Repetitive movements — repetitive activities such as prolonged walking, running, or cycling.
- Pressure — lying on the same side for a long time or standing on a hard surface.
- Muscle imbalance — weakness and unbalanced function of the muscles around the hip.
- Trauma — a direct blow to the outer side of the hip or a fall.
- Posture and gait disorders — conditions such as leg-length discrepancy or a limping gait.
- Other disorders — accompanying conditions such as low back problems and osteoarthritis.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of trochanteric bursitis:
- Sharp or throbbing pain on the outer side of the hip
- Pain radiating toward the outside of the thigh
- Pain that increases when lying on the affected side and becomes pronounced at night
- Difficulty climbing stairs, walking long distances, and rising from sitting
- Marked tenderness felt when touching the outer side of the hip
- Muscle weakness over time due to reduced activity to avoid pain
Diagnosis
Trochanteric bursitis is largely diagnosed through a detailed physical examination. Our physician assesses the location of the pain, the tenderness on the outer side, and the movements that increase the pain. It is of great importance to distinguish whether the pain is a radiating pattern originating from the low back or from the bursa itself.
When necessary, X-ray shows the bone structure, while MRI shows the inflammation in the bursa and the soft tissues. However, we always emphasize this: imaging alone is not sufficient; the essential thing is the physical examination. A finding on imaging may not always be the source of the complaint, so we take care with the differential diagnosis.
Treatment
In the treatment of trochanteric bursitis, our priority is non-surgical methods. The main approaches:
- Activity modification — temporarily reducing the movements that trigger the pain.
- Physical therapy agents — cold-hot applications to reduce inflammation and pain.
- Manual therapy — soft-tissue techniques for tight muscles and tendons.
- Stretching and strengthening exercises — a personalized program that balances the muscles around the hip.
What We Do
First, our physician determines with a detailed examination whether the pain truly originates from the bursa and draws up a personalized treatment protocol. When deemed necessary, dry needling or, in suitable cases, an injection is applied to the tight trigger points in the painful area.
Our expert physiotherapists release the tight muscles and tendons on the outer side of the hip with clinical massage, cupping therapy, and mobilization techniques. During the inflammatory period, we aim to reduce the pain with applications that support circulation. Once relief is achieved, we address the main problem, muscle imbalance.
We aim for lasting recovery by balancing the muscles around the hip with fully personalized and three-dimensional exercises. When necessary, we finish sessions with kinesiology taping so that treatment extends throughout the day. At the end of the process we see our client off with satisfaction and continue to follow up remotely.