A bursa is a tiny fluid filled sac that provides cushion and reduces friction between tissues in our body. One such site we have a bursa is on the outside of our hip over a bony prominence called the greater trochanter. Frequent repetitive movement or direct trauma to the bursa can cause inflammation in the sac, known as bursitis.

People with trochanteric bursitis commonly experience:

• Pain on the outside of the hip, painful to direct palpation
• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Inability to lie on the side that is affected 
• Limited tolerance to standing/walking

Vita’s team of highly trained and qualified therapists can help diagnose the condition, identify other contributing variables and provide both hands on treatment as well as develop individualized exercise programs to help alleviate your pain and get you back to living life. 

Interventions might include the following:

• Soft tissue and/or joint mobilization
• Pain reduction techniques such as dry needling and kinesio taping
• Proprioceptive training
• Strengthening exercises for muscles around the hip 
• Iontophoresis
• Ultrasound

 In some cases, the condition might resolve on its own. This would be more likely if the condition presented as a result of direct trauma to the area or significant change in activity level. Bursitis  is less likely to resolve without treatment if it is gradually presented without known cause. In such cases physical therapy can help identify why the tissue is getting overloaded and treat the underlying cause.  If therapy is unsuccessful, steroid injections can be performed. The need for surgery is rare unless other hip pathologies are present.