Education plus exercise versus corticosteroid injection use versus a wait and see approach on global outcome and pain from gluteal tendinopathy: prospective, single blinded, randomised clinical trial

Abstract

ObjectiveTo compare the effects of a programme of load management education plus exercise, corticosteroid injection use, and no treatment on pain and global improvement in individuals with gluteal tendinopathy.DesignProspective, three arm, single blinded, randomised clinical trial.SettingBrisbane and Melbourne, Australia.ParticipantsIndividuals aged 35–70 years, with lateral hip pain for more than 3 months, at least 4/10 on the pain numerical rating scale, and gluteal tendinopathy confirmed by clinical diagnosis and MRI; and with no corticosteroid injection use in previous 12 months, current physiotherapy, total hip replacement, or neurological conditions.InterventionsA physiotherapy led education and exercise programme of 14 sessions over 8 weeks (EDX; n=69), one corticosteroid injection (CSI; n=66), and a wait and see approach (WS; n=69).Main outcomesPrimary outcomes were patient reported global rating of change in hip condition (on an 11 point scale, dichotomised to success and non-success) and pain intensity in the past week (0=no pain, 10=worst pain) at 8 weeks, with longer term follow-up at 52 weeks.ResultsOf 204 randomised participants (including 167 women; mean age 54.8 years (SD 8.8)), 189 (92.6%) completed 52 week follow-up. Success on the global rating of change was reported at 8 weeks by 51/66 EDX, 38/65 CSI, and 20/68 WS participants. EDX and CSI had better global improvement scores than WS (risk difference 49.1% (95% CI 34.6% to 63.5%), number needed to treat 2.0 (95% CI 1.6 to 2.9); 29.2% (13.2% to 45.2%), 3.4 (2.2 to 7.6); respectively). EDX had better global improvement scores than CSI (19.9% (4.7% to 35.0%); 5.0 (2.9 to 21.1)). At 8 weeks, reported pain on the numerical rating scale was mean score 1.5 (SD 1.5) for EDX, 2.7 (2.4) for CSI, and 3.8 (2.0) for WS. EDX and CSI participants reported less pain than WS (mean difference −2.2 (95% CI −2.89 to −1.54); −1.2 (−1.85 to −0.50); respectively), and EDX participants reported less pain than CSI (−1.04 (−1.72 to −0.37)). Success on the global rating of change was reported at 52 weeks by 51/65 EDX, 36/63 CSI, and 31/60 WS participants; EDX was better than CSI (20.4% (4.9% to 35.9%); 4.9 (2.8 to 20.6)) and WS (26.8% (11.3% to 42.3%); 3.7 (2.4 to 8.8)). Reported pain at 52 weeks was 2.1 (2.2) for EDX, 2.3 (1.9) for CSI, and 3.2 (2.6) for WS; EDX did not differ from CSI (−0.26 (−1.06 to 0.55)), but both treatments did better than WS (1.13 (−1.93 to −0.33); 0.87 (−1.68 to −0.07); respectively).ConclusionsFor gluteal tendinopathy, education plus exercise and corticosteroid injection use resulted in higher rates of patient reported global improvement and lower pain intensity than no treatment at eight weeks. Education plus exercise performed better than corticosteroid injection use. At 52 week follow-up, education plus exercise led to better global improvement than corticosteroid injection use, but no difference in pain intensity. These results support EDX as an effective management approach for gluteal tendinopathy.Trial registration numberProspectively re...

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“…Gait retraining strategies to encourage GMax and GMin activation through the full range of a gait cycle, particularly into hip extension, may be considered. Further research into specific gluteal tendon loading program (Ganderton et al, 2018;Mellor et al, 2018) is warranted to inform clinicians on effectiveness and exercise parameters.…”

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“…Compared to placebo, injections of prolotherapy lead to greater reductions in pain in the intermediate term ( 52 For gluteal tendinopathy, corticosteroid injections appear to provide worse outcomes compared to education and exercise. For example, a randomized controlled trial (n = 204) 53 found that education and exercise provided greater pain relief than a corticosteroid injection in the short term (1.04 reduction in pain on a 0-10 scale at 8 weeks, 95% CI: −1.72 to −0.37) and led to greater perceived improvement in the short and long term (eg, between-group difference in being at least "moderately better" at 52 weeks was 20.4%, 95% CI: 4.9-35.9; Number Needed to Treat [NNT] of 5, 95% CI: 3-21). However, with such small effects-some of which are not maintained in the long term-patients need to decide whether 14 sessions of exercise therapy over 8 weeks are worth the 1-point reduction in short-term pain, or one in five chance of experiencing treatment success, compared to receiving a single corticosteroid injection.…”