Athletes who participate in sports that involve running are prone to trochanter bursitis (hip bursitis), a common runner’s injury. Trochanter bursitis occurs when a bursal sac becomes inflamed. The bursa is a fluid-filled sac that allows smooth motion between the bony prominence over the outside of the hip and the firm tendon that passes over the bone.

If you have trochanter bursitis, you feel pain when the tendon moves over the bone, which means you feel pain often since the tendon sees a lot of action in everyday activity.

You may be wondering what the causes of trochanteric, or hip, bursitis are. Trochanteric bursitis may be caused by lying on one side of the body for an extended period or from sustained pressure on the hips that is caused by standing too long.

Other common causes of trochanter bursitis include rheumatoid arthritis, a traumatic incident such as a fall, leg-length inequalities, multiple minor traumatic injuries, lumbar spine disease, repetitive stress injuries, previous surgeries or prosthetic implants in the hip.

Get Rid of Bursitis Pain for Good

You can take three critical moves to prevent trochanter bursitis: consult a doctor before starting an exercise program, avoid repetitive movements that involve the trochanter muscles and strengthen and stretch the muscles in your hips.

Though you should see your physician for a proper diagnosis of trochanteric bursitis, there are some common symptoms. Trochanter bursitis, which can strike anyone at any age, symptoms and signs include pain at night leading to insomnia. The pain will tend to increase as the patient, typically a middle-aged woman or senior citizen, lies down or rolls over on the affected side.

She may also feel pain that radiates down the outside of the thigh as far as the knee when she climbs stairs, stands or sits too long. Pain is often centralized on the outside of the upper thigh, just over the point of the hip.

The best treatment for trochanter bursitis, or any form of bursitis, is to rest the affected area. This usually means a period of time not participating in sports or activities that aggravate your symptoms. As a general rule of thumb, any activity that causes hip bursitis pain should be avoided. These activities only contribute to inflammation of the bursa.

If you have trochanter bursitis that has been caused by straining and overusing your hip muscles, your doctor will recommend rest as the first line of treatment. By giving your hip a chance to heal, you may be able to avoid more invasive surgery and treatments.

Get Soothing Relief for Bursitis

If having leg-length differences causes your trochanter bursitis, use a lift in your shoe or order special shoes from a podiatrist. Some other treatments for trochanteric bursitis include ice applications. Apply ice in an ice bag for 20 minutes three times a day. Also, make sure you stretch, performing exercises for your hip bursitis that help the lower back and hip muscles.

When first consulting a doctor, he or she will most likely conduct a physical examination to determine whether your pain is the result of trochanter bursitis. The doctor may then conduct tests to rule out the possibility of conditions with similar symptoms. By obtaining an x-ray, your doctor will be able to see whether you have problems such as bone spurs exasperating the issue. It’s possible your doctor will want do a bone scan or a magnetic resonance imaging test to see if you have a fracture.

Trochanteric bursitis that leads to surgical treatment is not common, but your doctor will want to rule out more serious problems. In addition to recommending exercise to strengthen muscles, physical therapy and over-the-counter pain medication, your doctor may advise you to lose weight to reduce pressure on the hips. Also, some people benefit from using a cane to reduce pressure on the hip.

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