Hip Tendonitis & Bursitis

Diagnosing Tendonitis & Bursitis of the Hip

If you’re experiencing persistent hip pain or any tendonitis or bursitis symptoms, schedule an appointment with your doctor to manage your discomfort and rule out other health problems.

Signs & Symptoms

Signs of hip tendonitis or bursitis may include:

• A grating or grinding feeling when moving your hip
• Hip pain
• Sensitivity or soreness in the hip area
• Stiffness or difficulty moving the hip
• Swelling around your hip joint or tendons

Diagnosis

To diagnose hip tendonitis or bursitis, we will perform a physical exam and may recommend one or more tests, including:

• Aspiration—to remove and test fluid from around your hip joint.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)—to create detailed images of your hip.
• X-ray—to check for arthritis or bone damage.

Hip Tendonitis & Bursitis Treatment 

Treatment for hip tendonitis and bursitis focuses on reducing pain and inflammation.

Treatment for Tendonitis

If you have tendonitis, your treatment options may include:

• Activity modification—to rest and heal the hip.
• Cortisone/anti-inflammatory steroid injections—to relieve inflammation and pain.
• Physical therapy—to strengthen the hip joint and restore range of motion.
• R-I-C-E (rest, ice, compression, elevation) method
• Topical anti-inflammatory gels

Tendonitis rarely requires surgery, but your doctor may recommend it if other treatment methods do not relieve your symptoms.

Treatment for Bursitis

If you have bursitis, your treatment options may include:

• Antibiotics—if an infection caused the bursitis.
• Cortisone/anti-inflammatory steroid injections—to relieve inflammation and pain.
• Physical therapy—to strengthen the hip joint and restore range of motion.
• Therapeutic contrast therapy—alternating heat and cold to reduce inflammation and discomfort.
• Surgery—to drain inflamed bursae.