Hip Conditions

What is bursitis?

Bursitis is the inflammation of the bursa causing stiffness and pain around the hip joint.  There are two major bursae of the hip, the trochanteric bursa and the ischial bursa.

What causes bursitis?

Bursitis is most commonly caused by inflammation resulting from soft tissue trauma or by a strain type injury.

Where does hip bursitis hurt?

Trochanteric bursitis causes tenderness of the outer hip and makes it difficult to lie down on the involved side.  It also causes a dull, burning pain on the outer hip that gets worse with walking and stair climbing. Ischial bursitis is located in the upper buttock area and can cause dull pain that is most noticeable when climbing uphill.  The pain sometimes occurs after prolonged sitting on hard surfaces.

What is the treatment for bursitis?

Treatment for hip bursitis can include aspiration (removal of fluid with a needle and syringe) followed by an injection into the bursa with a cortisone medication and local anesthetic.  This typically causes rapid relief, usually within 2 days.

What is the prognosis for hip bursitis?

Hip bursitis usually responds completely with conservative treatment as mentioned above.

How can I prevent hip bursitis?

Stretching before exercise, strengthening your muscles and resting when doing repetitive tasks might help prevent hip bursitis.