Hip Bursitis and Gluteal Tendinopathy: Can Shockwave Therapy Break the Cycle of Pain?

What Are Hip Bursitis and Gluteal Tendinopathy?

Both conditions cause pain on the outside of the hip, but they’re not the same — and often, what’s called “bursitis” is actually a tendon problem.

Trochanteric Bursitis

Involves inflammation of the fluid-filled bursa over the greater trochanter (outside of the hip). It causes pain with pressure, walking, or lying on the affected side.

Gluteal Tendinopathy

Refers to degeneration or overload of the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus tendons at their insertion on the greater trochanter.

Important: Research now shows most cases of “hip bursitis” are in fact gluteal tendinopathy with secondary bursal irritation. Treating the tendon is the key to lasting relief ([Grimaldi et al., BJSM, 2015]).

Why Are These Conditions So Hard to Treat?

• The lateral hip experiences constant compressive load with walking, standing, or crossing legs
• Tendon healing is slow, especially with ongoing movement and poor mechanics
• Corticosteroid injections often offer short-term relief but don’t address tendon degeneration ([Rompe et al., AJSM, 2009])
• Women aged 40–70 are particularly susceptible due to pelvic width, biomechanics, and hormonal factors
• Chronic lateral hip pain can interfere with sleep, stair climbing, work, and exercise

How Shockwave Therapy Helps

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) delivers focused acoustic energy to stimulate healing and reduce pain. In lateral hip pain, shockwave therapy can:

• Stimulate new blood vessel formation (neovascularisation)
• Trigger collagen production and tendon regeneration
• Reduce nerve sensitivity and local inflammation
• Break up fibrotic tissue or minor calcifications
• Promote mechanical tendon remodelling and load tolerance

What Does the Research Say?

Rompe et al. (2009, Am J Sports Med)
Compared shockwave therapy to corticosteroid injections for greater trochanteric pain syndrome.
→ Result: Shockwave group had significantly better pain and function at 4 months.

Furia et al. (2009, J Orthop Res)
Long-term outcomes of ESWT in GTPS.
→ Result: 79% of patients had sustained symptom resolution at 12 months.

Mani-Babu et al. (2015, Br J Sports Med)
Systematic review of ESWT for tendinopathies.
→ Conclusion: Shockwave is effective when combined with rehab-based loading.

Del Buono et al. (2012, Br Med Bull)
Reviewed biological effects of ESWT.
→ Key Finding: ESWT increases VEGF and eNOS, both vital for tendon healing and angiogenesis.

Chiropractors in Sydney Clinical Perspective

At Tensegrity Sports Clinics, we use shockwave therapy to treat lateral hip pain when:

• Symptoms have persisted for more than 6 weeks
• Pain is limiting sleep, stair use, or walking capacity
• Patients want to avoid repeat cortisone injections or surgery
• Tendon rehab is limited by pain or high irritability

We combine ESWT with a rehab plan including:

• Isometric loading to improve tendon pain tolerance
• Progressive gluteus medius/minimus strengthening
• Gait retraining to reduce hip adduction and dynamic overload

Treatment Plan & What to Expect

Recovery Timeline

• 2–4 weeks: Improved sleep and reduced resting pain
• 6–8 weeks: Better stair climbing, walking, and functional strength
• 3–6 months: Return to sport, daily tasks, and long walks without flare-ups

Patients with symptoms longer than 12 months may need a longer rehab plan to address compensations and deconditioning.

Is Shockwave Therapy Right for You?

Shockwave therapy could help if:

• You’ve had lateral hip pain for more than 6 weeks
• Injections or standard rehab haven’t fully resolved the issue
• You want a non-surgical, evidence-based option
• You’re ready to follow a strengthening program to keep the pain away

Final Thoughts

Lateral hip pain is stubborn — but treatable. With the right diagnosis and structured approach, shockwave therapy offers a powerful solution to reduce pain, restore tendon function, and help you move confidently again.

Book Your Shockwave Consultation

Ready to tackle hip pain head-on?

Call Tensegrity Sports Clinics or book online at www.tensegrity.com.au

Start moving pain-free again — stronger and smarter.