AIBU to ask for your help/experiences with hip bursitis?

[Hallomother]

Was told ages ago it was likely to be bursitis but didn’t follow it up as it eased off (I used to do a lot of distance running when it started, like 13 miles every other weekend).
When I was pregnant a few years ago I got SPD and terrible sciatica on my left side, so bad I couldn’t walk at all towards the end.

It all got better when I had my son but now, 18 months later, I’ve started doing more exercise again, I’m lifting him more and he’s a hefty little chunk, and it’s come back.

Ticks all the symptom boxes - hurts to press on the joint, feels bruised but isn’t, worse after running or sitting for a while, sometimes goes round to my lower back etc.
Running especially seems to trigger it.

I’m going to see my GP this week to have it properly looked at but was told last time it would probably be a scan and referral and I know these are taking ages in my region at the moment.

I just wondered if anyone had found anything that helped? I know I lift DS badly, and I have terrible posture when I sit at my computer so I’m working to fix those.

Has anyone found anything else? I have a radiating occasional twinge down my leg now so I’m worried the sciatica is going to come back as well!

I'm also a runner and had very similar syptoms, my GP just assumed it was trochanteric bursitis. It wasn't, it was illiotibial band syndrome. It took an MRI and a good sports medicine specialist/orthopedist to dx it.

www.webmd.com/pain-management/it-band-syndrome

The good news was that I had a pretty minor surgery called an IT band release in July that's corrected it and I've recently started running again. It's a very common running injury an easily fixed.

That’s interesting! It’s been niggling again recently usually after sitting down at my desk but went for a run today the first in ages and I’m limping about now 🙈 glad you got yours sorted!

It took ages to figure it out. The IT band is a large, flat muscle that starts above the hip, covers the trochanter, then goes all the way down to the knee. If it tightens up it feels worse right on the hip bone (trochanter) because it stretches over it. The surgery just involves cutting a small piece of the muscle out over the top of the trochanter, which lets the whole thing spread out and relax. In my case it was done arthroscopically, so just two tiny little holes to do it and no scar.

I feel so much better now.

I forgot to mention, the IT band tension was causing the hip bursa to be chronically inflamed, so they took it out as part of the surgery. Apparently, you don't really need the bursa and it eventually grows back.

Wow! Did yours feel kind of bruised if you pressed the hip joint from the outside?

I also often feel like I need to stretch the leg out like my bum and calf muscle is too tight

@Hallomother

Wow! Did yours feel kind of bruised if you pressed the hip joint from the outside?

Yes, exactly! That's the inflamed bursa you're pressing on.

@Hallomother

I also often feel like I need to stretch the leg out like my bum and calf muscle is too tight

That's likely the IT band which is too tight.

Can you see an orthopedist privately?

They are probably going to want to try a cortisone injection and physical therapy before they try surgery. Your GP can do the cortisone jab. In my case, it helped a little for a few days, then nothing.

It sounds almost exactly the same as what you’ve experienced! Thanks so much for sharing your tale of woe (glad it’s no longer woeful though!)
It’s particularly bad tonight when walking upstairs and I’ve noticed it’s bad when my heel strikes the floor when walking, when it’s playing up.
I’m going to take some ibuprofen and call the doctor to hurry things up tomorrow I think.
It’s so tender and sore!

I'm so glad I could help! By the way, the surgery is also called a Fasciotomy if you want to google it.

I had trouble climbing stairs or walking uphill too. Good luck, and please do come back and let me know what your doctor says.

I was recommended orthotic insoles to sort out my posture which led to bursas in shoulders and hips. Have helped to some extent

@MissConductUS thank you! I shall :) I feel a bit more armed with info now.

@wouldthatbeworse thanks for the tip, I’ll have a look into it.

I suspect the SPD in pregnancy has made my posture worse than it already was!

One thing that's really helped mine is buying a shiatsu massager and doing 20mins every evening with it. I'll find a link...

Shiatsu Back Neck and Shoulder Massager, Ohuhu Back Massager with Heat Function, 3D Knead Deep Tissue for Foot, Legs, Body, with 3 Speed Settings, Relieve Muscle Pain for Family Drivers Workers www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07TWBHJ59/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_14J14KXGRVHPHFB2FDGW?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

I use it on my lower back and almost sit on it ,works a treat and loosening things up without aggrevating things.

I have hip bursitis and ITBS.
I bought a little ultrasound machine for about £100 on amazon after having US treatment abroad. It really helped. However, I was later diagnosed with several autoimmune conditions and the drugs I take for those have helped too.

I'd recommend seeing a private physio if you can. My bursitis is caused by an issue with my sacroiliac joint. It wasn't until I saw a physio earlier this year who told me that I need to work on strength, not flexibility. She gave me specific exercises to strengthen my glutes and hip flexors, which will improve my posture and reduce the pain. I've also taken up strength training mainly using kettlebells, and that's made the biggest difference!

I've had hip bursitis and separately ITB syndrome from half marathon training. On the bursitis, I had a cortisone injection which was magic and then had weekly physio on NHS for six weeks. All worked really well. I did give up running for a year or thereabouts though.

When I later did the HM training, I had no issue from the bursitis, but had been doing pilates pretty religiously for the previous two years so hips/glutes much stronger. The ITB issue I mostly sorted from doing foam roller session every evening, but in the main have accepted distances over 10k are not for me.

Hope that's helpful - bursitis bloody hurts when you first do it! It will be very tender from the outside. Good idea to get the GP to look at it.

Thanks for all the advice and sympathy! I’ve had a twinge on and off for a while although it hasn’t been like this and it’s been irritated by sitting and writing at a computer for long periods recently - get lower back ache and bum tightness from it.
The run seems to have pushed me over the edge back into full on hip pain again so won’t be doing that again for a while.

I’ve actually got a shiatsu massager and have been using it, it does make a difference with the lower back and hip pain but I’ll do it more religiously I think.

Interestingly when I was running before, I was doing a lot of strength training as well and all was fine, then I restarted long distance running without the strength training and really pushed myself running wise and that’s when all the problems started.

I have trochanteric bursitis on both sides. Took an absolute age to diagnose because I also have fibromyalgia so was fobbed off for about 6 years. Was sent to physio which helped a tiny bit and have recently been given insoles to wear to help correct my posture (did this privately).

When it flares up I find a TENS machine helps with the pain and also get some relief from Voltarol gel. I have asked about the cortisone injections but apparently they’re only for people who are in serious pain Maybe next time I have to crawl up my stairs due to the pain I will have to film myself to prove it!

Hi OP

My surgery nurse thought I had bursitis. All the same symptoms as you and referred me to doctor - 2 week wait. In meantime I was seeing a physio for old shoulder injury and terrible office chair / posture and mentioned it.

45
Mins of excruciating pain later and it's all fine. It wasn't bursitis but my sacroiliac joint (so?). which was tight / misaligned. Best £50 quid I've spent.

i would get an MRI done, they tried to blame my hip pain on bursitis, but then found out i actually had degeneration of the disks in my lumber spine, and the hip pain was referred pain.. i also had awful SPD and Sciatica..