Symptoms include:

• Lateral (outside) hip pain and swelling.
• Referred pain that travels down the lateral aspect of the thigh and may continue down to the knee.
• Pain when sleeping on your side; especially the affected hip.
• Pain upon getting up from a deep chair or after prolonged sitting (e.g. in a car).
• Pain when climbing stairs.
• Pain when sitting with the legs crossed.
• Increased pain when walking, cycling or standing for long periods of time.

Causes:

• Poor biomechanics of the foot i.e. over pronation (rolling ankles inward).
• Poorly aligned pelvis.
• Limb length discrepancy.
• Weak hip muscles.
• Weak gluteal (buttock) muscles.
• Tight Iliotibial band.
• Arthritis.
• Scoliosis.
• Lateral hip surgery.

At Mint Foot Care Podiatry, we diagnose this condition by taking a comprehensive history, performing a biomechanical assessment and video gait analysis. The podiatrist may prescribe diagnostic imaging such as X-Rays, ultrasound and an MRI.

Based on the findings a combination of treatment options may be prescribed including:

• Rest and Ice – keeping off the foot and reducing activity prevents further injury and encourages healing. Ice can reduce inflammation, swelling and symptoms.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication – help reduce the pain and inflammation such as ibuprofen or aspirin.
• Proper fitting and supportive footwear recommendations.
• Custom made orthotic therapy – orthotics may be prescribed to address any biomechanical factors such as over pronation.
• Heel lifts.
• Stretching and strengthening exercises.
• Ultrasound therapy.