A bursa is a fluid-filled sac, like a water balloon. It reduces rubbing between the bone and the surrounding soft tissue, like muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Bursitis occurs when there is swelling and pain in a bursa. In this case, it affects the bursa that covers the bony prominence in the thigh bone (femur) on the outside of the hip, called the greater trochanter. Signs and Symptoms

Pain, tenderness, or swelling at the greater trochanter of the hip In rare cases redness, warmth, and/or fever may be present if the bursa is infected

Pain with standing, sitting, walking, or squatting for long periods of time

Increased Risk

Older age Rheumatoid arthritis Leg length difference Females

Scoliosis or low back injury Fast movements or doings movements over and over again Contact sports where collision with other players, equipment or the ground is present (football, basketball, soccer)

Treatment

Medicine

Anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®) or naproxen (Aleve®) may be recommended. Take these as directed by your health care provider.

You may use other minor pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol®).

Steroid injections into the bursa may be used to reduce swelling for severe cases. Antibiotics may be prescribed if the bursa becomes infected.

Use of cold and heat

Cold should be applied for 10 to 15 minutes every 2 to 3 hours and after any activity that makes symptoms worse. Use ice packs or an ice massage. Raise the foot and ankle at or above heart level to reduce swelling. Heat may be used before stretching and strengthening activities prescribed by your health care provider or athletic trainer. Use a heat pack or a warm soak. Apply for 10 to 15 minutes.

Rehab

Stretching and strengthening exercises may be recommended and often done under care of a physical therapist or athletic trainer.

How to Prevent

Use proper technique and wear protective equipment. Maintain proper body weight. Use shoe inserts for leg-length differences.

Maintain proper conditioning, flexibility, muscular strength, and endurance. Do correct warm-up and cool down before and after practice or competition.

When to Call the Doctor Call your health care provider or the Sports Medicine team at (614) 355-6000 if:

Symptoms get worse or do not improve in 2 to 4 weeks, despite treatment. Signs of infection develop like fever of 100.4° Fahrenheit (F) or 38° Celsius (C) or higher. New, unexplained symptoms develop.

  Sports Medicine: Greater Trochanter Bursitis (PDF) HH-I-574 ©2022, Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Schedule an Appointment
Schedule a Sports Medicine Appointment Online

A bursa is a fluid-filled sac, like a water balloon. It reduces rubbing between the bone and the surrounding soft tissue, like muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Bursitis occurs when there is swelling and pain in a bursa. In this case, it affects the bursa that covers the bony prominence in the thigh bone (femur) on the outside of the hip, called the greater trochanter. Signs and Symptoms

Pain, tenderness, or swelling at the greater trochanter of the hip In rare cases redness, warmth, and/or fever may be present if the bursa is infected

Pain with standing, sitting, walking, or squatting for long periods of time

Increased Risk

Older age Rheumatoid arthritis Leg length difference Females

Scoliosis or low back injury Fast movements or doings movements over and over again Contact sports where collision with other players, equipment or the ground is present (football, basketball, soccer)

Treatment

Medicine

Anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®) or naproxen (Aleve®) may be recommended. Take these as directed by your health care provider.

You may use other minor pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol®).

Steroid injections into the bursa may be used to reduce swelling for severe cases. Antibiotics may be prescribed if the bursa becomes infected.

Use of cold and heat

Cold should be applied for 10 to 15 minutes every 2 to 3 hours and after any activity that makes symptoms worse. Use ice packs or an ice massage. Raise the foot and ankle at or above heart level to reduce swelling. Heat may be used before stretching and strengthening activities prescribed by your health care provider or athletic trainer. Use a heat pack or a warm soak. Apply for 10 to 15 minutes.

Rehab

Stretching and strengthening exercises may be recommended and often done under care of a physical therapist or athletic trainer.

How to Prevent

Use proper technique and wear protective equipment. Maintain proper body weight. Use shoe inserts for leg-length differences.

Maintain proper conditioning, flexibility, muscular strength, and endurance. Do correct warm-up and cool down before and after practice or competition.

When to Call the Doctor Call your health care provider or the Sports Medicine team at (614) 355-6000 if:

Symptoms get worse or do not improve in 2 to 4 weeks, despite treatment. Signs of infection develop like fever of 100.4° Fahrenheit (F) or 38° Celsius (C) or higher. New, unexplained symptoms develop.

  Sports Medicine: Greater Trochanter Bursitis (PDF) HH-I-574 ©2022, Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Schedule an Appointment
Schedule a Sports Medicine Appointment Online

A bursa is a fluid-filled sac, like a water balloon. It reduces rubbing between the bone and the surrounding soft tissue, like muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Bursitis occurs when there is swelling and pain in a bursa. In this case, it affects the bursa that covers the bony prominence in the thigh bone (femur) on the outside of the hip, called the greater trochanter. Signs and Symptoms

Pain, tenderness, or swelling at the greater trochanter of the hip In rare cases redness, warmth, and/or fever may be present if the bursa is infected

Pain with standing, sitting, walking, or squatting for long periods of time

Increased Risk

Older age Rheumatoid arthritis Leg length difference Females

Scoliosis or low back injury Fast movements or doings movements over and over again Contact sports where collision with other players, equipment or the ground is present (football, basketball, soccer)

Treatment

Medicine

Anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®) or naproxen (Aleve®) may be recommended. Take these as directed by your health care provider.

You may use other minor pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol®).

Steroid injections into the bursa may be used to reduce swelling for severe cases. Antibiotics may be prescribed if the bursa becomes infected.

Use of cold and heat

Cold should be applied for 10 to 15 minutes every 2 to 3 hours and after any activity that makes symptoms worse. Use ice packs or an ice massage. Raise the foot and ankle at or above heart level to reduce swelling. Heat may be used before stretching and strengthening activities prescribed by your health care provider or athletic trainer. Use a heat pack or a warm soak. Apply for 10 to 15 minutes.

Rehab

Stretching and strengthening exercises may be recommended and often done under care of a physical therapist or athletic trainer.

How to Prevent

Use proper technique and wear protective equipment. Maintain proper body weight. Use shoe inserts for leg-length differences.

Maintain proper conditioning, flexibility, muscular strength, and endurance. Do correct warm-up and cool down before and after practice or competition.

When to Call the Doctor Call your health care provider or the Sports Medicine team at (614) 355-6000 if:

Symptoms get worse or do not improve in 2 to 4 weeks, despite treatment. Signs of infection develop like fever of 100.4° Fahrenheit (F) or 38° Celsius (C) or higher. New, unexplained symptoms develop.

  Sports Medicine: Greater Trochanter Bursitis (PDF) HH-I-574 ©2022, Nationwide Children’s Hospital

A bursa is a fluid-filled sac, like a water balloon. It reduces rubbing between the bone and the surrounding soft tissue, like muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Bursitis occurs when there is swelling and pain in a bursa. In this case, it affects the bursa that covers the bony prominence in the thigh bone (femur) on the outside of the hip, called the greater trochanter.

Signs and Symptoms

Pain, tenderness, or swelling at the greater trochanter of the hip In rare cases redness, warmth, and/or fever may be present if the bursa is infected

Pain with standing, sitting, walking, or squatting for long periods of time

Increased Risk

Older age Rheumatoid arthritis Leg length difference Females

Scoliosis or low back injury Fast movements or doings movements over and over again Contact sports where collision with other players, equipment or the ground is present (football, basketball, soccer)

Treatment

  • Medicine
  • Anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®) or naproxen (Aleve®) may be recommended. Take these as directed by your health care provider.
  • You may use other minor pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol®).
  • Steroid injections into the bursa may be used to reduce swelling for severe cases.
  • Antibiotics may be prescribed if the bursa becomes infected.
  • Use of cold and heat
  • Cold should be applied for 10 to 15 minutes every 2 to 3 hours and after any activity that makes symptoms worse. Use ice packs or an ice massage. Raise the foot and ankle at or above heart level to reduce swelling.
  • Heat may be used before stretching and strengthening activities prescribed by your health care provider or athletic trainer. Use a heat pack or a warm soak. Apply for 10
  • to 15 minutes.
  • Rehab
  • Stretching and strengthening exercises may be recommended and often done under care of a physical therapist or athletic trainer.

How to Prevent

Use proper technique and wear protective equipment. Maintain proper body weight. Use shoe inserts for leg-length differences.

Maintain proper conditioning, flexibility, muscular strength, and endurance. Do correct warm-up and cool down before and after practice or competition.

When to Call the Doctor

Call your health care provider or the Sports Medicine team at (614) 355-6000 if:

Pain, tenderness, or swelling at the greater trochanter of the hip In rare cases redness, warmth, and/or fever may be present if the bursa is infected

Pain with standing, sitting, walking, or squatting for long periods of time

  • Pain, tenderness, or swelling at the greater trochanter of the hip

  • In rare cases redness, warmth, and/or fever may be present if the bursa is infected

  • Pain with standing, sitting, walking, or squatting for long periods of time

Older age Rheumatoid arthritis Leg length difference Females

Scoliosis or low back injury Fast movements or doings movements over and over again Contact sports where collision with other players, equipment or the ground is present (football, basketball, soccer)

  • Older age

  • Rheumatoid arthritis

  • Leg length difference

  • Females

  • Scoliosis or low back injury

  • Fast movements or doings movements over and over again

  • Contact sports where collision with other players, equipment or the ground is present (football, basketball, soccer)

  • Anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®) or naproxen (Aleve®) may be recommended. Take these as directed by your health care provider.

  • You may use other minor pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol®).

  • Steroid injections into the bursa may be used to reduce swelling for severe cases.

  • Antibiotics may be prescribed if the bursa becomes infected.

  • You may use other minor pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol®).

  • Cold should be applied for 10 to 15 minutes every 2 to 3 hours and after any activity that makes symptoms worse. Use ice packs or an ice massage. Raise the foot and ankle at or above heart level to reduce swelling.

  • Heat may be used before stretching and strengthening activities prescribed by your health care provider or athletic trainer. Use a heat pack or a warm soak. Apply for 10

  • to 15 minutes.

  • Stretching and strengthening exercises may be recommended and often done under care of a physical therapist or athletic trainer.

Use proper technique and wear protective equipment. Maintain proper body weight. Use shoe inserts for leg-length differences.

Maintain proper conditioning, flexibility, muscular strength, and endurance. Do correct warm-up and cool down before and after practice or competition.

  • Use proper technique and wear protective equipment.

  • Maintain proper body weight.

  • Use shoe inserts for leg-length differences.

  • Maintain proper conditioning, flexibility, muscular strength, and endurance.

  • Do correct warm-up and cool down before and after practice or competition.

  • Symptoms get worse or do not improve in 2 to 4 weeks, despite treatment.

  • Signs of infection develop like fever of 100.4° Fahrenheit (F) or 38° Celsius (C) or higher.

  • New, unexplained symptoms develop.

 

Sports Medicine: Greater Trochanter Bursitis (PDF)

HH-I-574 ©2022, Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Schedule an Appointment
Schedule a Sports Medicine Appointment Online

Schedule an Appointment
Schedule a Sports Medicine Appointment Online