Gluteal Tears and Hip Tendinosis

Gluteal Tears and Hip Tendinosis: Treatment in Palm Beach

Gluteal tendinopathy, including tendinosis and partial tears of the gluteus medius and minimus tendons, is a leading cause of lateral hip pain, particularly in middle-aged and older women. It is often called greater trochanteric pain syndrome and is frequently misdiagnosed as hip bursitis.

At Palm Beach Regenerative, image-guided orthobiologic injection to the gluteal tendon insertions at the greater trochanter offers a precise, non-surgical approach to this common and often undertreated condition. Reach out today to schedule your appointment.

What Are Gluteal Tears and Hip Tendinosis?

The gluteus medius and minimus are the primary hip abductor muscles, and their tendons insert onto the greater trochanter of the femur. Degeneration, micro-tearing, and thickening of these tendons produces the lateral hip pain pattern characteristic of gluteal tendinopathy, which is different from and often mistaken for trochanteric bursitis.

Signs and Symptoms

• Pain on the outer hip, over or just below the greater trochanter
• Pain worsening with walking, climbing stairs, or lying on the affected side
• Tenderness with direct pressure over the greater trochanter
• Pain with sitting cross-legged or with hip adduction
• Weakness of hip abduction, sometimes with a Trendelenburg gait pattern

Common Causes and Risk Factors

• Age-related tendon degeneration, particularly in postmenopausal women
• Repetitive hip loading from running, walking, or climbing
• Broad pelvis biomechanics increasing the tendon compression angle at the greater trochanter
• Prior hip surgery
• Weight gain increasing compressive load on the tendon insertions

How It Is Diagnosed

MRI of the hip clearly shows gluteal tendon degeneration, tearing, and associated bursitis. Diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound allows dynamic real-time assessment of the tendon and confirms the specific location and extent of pathology.

Dr. Ghattas uses ultrasound to plan and guide the injection treatment, ensuring precise tendon targeting.

Conventional Treatment Options

• Physical therapy with hip abductor strengthening and load management
• Activity modification and avoidance of aggravating positions
• Trochanteric bursa steroid injection: Often misdirected at the bursa rather than the tendon
• Shock wave therapy for tendinopathy
• Surgical tendon repair for large tears in active patients

The Palm Beach Regenerative Approach

Dr. Ghattas uses real-time ultrasound guidance to deliver concentrated platelet preparations precisely to the gluteal tendon insertion at the greater trochanter, targeting the degenerative tendon tissue rather than the adjacent bursa.

This precision is critical. Many patients with this condition have received ineffective bursa injections because the tendon pathology was not the target. Accurate tendon targeting with Regenexx SCP platelet preparations is the Palm Beach Regenerative standard.

The BioMod Advantage: MLS Robotic Laser Therapy applied to the lateral hip and greater trochanteric region reduces tendon inflammation and supports the body's tendon healing response. Xymogen collagen support and anti-inflammatory protocols provide a systemic healing environment that helps the gluteal tendons recover from chronic degeneration.

Like all medical procedures, orthobiologic treatments have potential risks and benefits. Results vary by individual. Not all patients are candidates. Dr. Ghattas will discuss your specific situation, realistic expectations, and all treatment options, including when surgery or other interventions may be more appropriate.