Assessing Lateral Hip Pain With History, Clinical Tests and Outcomes

The subjective assessment looks for clues about tendon compression: onset and load changes in the 48 hours before pain, side lying on either side, sit to stand, stairs and slopes, and whether putting on shoes and socks is easy, which points away from hip osteoarthritis. Rachel also asks about menopausal status, recent antibiotics and metabolic health. Pain can be referred as far as the lateral ankle. No single test diagnoses GTPS. She demonstrates the battery of resisted external derotation and its modified version in adduction, FABER with lateral pain, resisted side-lying abduction and palpation of the greater trochanter, which is the most sensitive test and best for ruling the condition out. For outcomes she covers the VISA-G and the 2020 core outcome set, plus night pain and 24-hour response. A hip hitch isometric, worked up toward 30 seconds, can reduce pain within the session. Imaging data show many people with tears have no symptoms, so rehabilitation targets tendon function, not structure.