Evidence to date

In the systematic review regarding greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) Barratt et al1 found only eight non-surgical treatment studies eligible for review. Of these, all but one had a moderate-to-high risk of bias. The strongest evidence, both in terms of study design and outcomes, is for corticosteroid injection (CSI). With pain reduction occurring in the majority of patients within 4 weeks, it is not surprising that CSI is often the first line of treatment in general medical practice. Similar to responses to CSI seen in other tendinopathies however, recurrence is common and success rates fall over time, making this approach no more effective in the longer term than adopting a wait-and-see approach. While acute complications following CSI are rare, concerns remain regarding potential negative effects on the tendon associated with down regulation …