Calcific trochanteric bursitis explained

The greater trochanter is the bony prominence on the outside of the upper thigh. Gluteal tendons attach nearby, and bursae reduce friction around these tissues. Calcium may be seen within or beside a tendon, while pain can arise from a mixture of tendon irritation, bursal inflammation, and compression at the side of the hip.

The condition may present with tenderness over the outer hip and discomfort when lying on that side, climbing stairs, walking, or standing on one leg. Similar pain can come from the hip joint or lower back, so a scan finding alone does not establish which tissue is painful. The clinician matches imaging with the location and behaviour of symptoms.

Avoid repeatedly compressing the sore side: sleep on the other side with a pillow between the knees, avoid crossing the legs, and limit long periods with the hip pushed outward. Shorten or flatten walks if they trigger a lasting flare rather than abandoning activity altogether.

Physiotherapy may focus on controlling pelvic movement and gradually strengthening the hip muscles without sharply increasing pain. If symptoms remain intrusive, a clinician can review the diagnosis and discuss options such as shockwave therapy or an image-guided cortisone injection. Each option has limitations and should be selected according to the affected tissue, medical history, and treatment goals.

Book a routine review when outer-hip pain disrupts sleep, changes your walking, keeps returning, or does not improve with sensible activity changes. Seek urgent evaluation after a fall if you cannot bear weight, or if the hip is markedly swollen, hot, or red. Fever, feeling acutely unwell, rapidly worsening pain, or new leg weakness or numbness also needs prompt medical attention.

Ask whether the calcium lies in a gluteal tendon or near a bursa, and whether the examination suggests another source such as the hip joint or back. Discuss how to adjust walking and sleep positions, how exercise discomfort should be monitored, and what findings would make an injection or shockwave therapy reasonable.