Greater trochanteric pain syndrome is a condition which affects the gluteal tendons and bursa on the outside of the hip, also known as gluteal tendinopathy or trochanteric bursitis. Additionally, this condition may manifest as lateral hip pain or trochanteric bursitis.
GTPS is a condition characterized by pain in the lateral hip or thigh region that worsens with single leg activities or lying on it, often worsening when sitting still for extended periods. Physical examination frequently shows a Trendelenburg gait pattern; an MRI can confirm diagnosis with high sensitivity and specificity.
Knee to Chest Stretch
The Knee-to-Chest Stretch is an easy and effective exercise designed to alleviate greater trochanteric hip pain syndrome, commonly referred to as IT band friction syndrome. This stretching exercise targets muscles and tendons on the outside of your hip to relax them and restore flexibility – it doesn’t require any special equipment or extra time!
Start by lying on your back with both knees bent and flat on the floor, with both of them slightly bent. Clasp both of your hands around one knee, gently pull it toward your chest while keeping your lower back pressed to the ground, holding this position for 30 seconds before returning it back into a resting position and repeating this move with both legs.
Stretching can be challenging for those with tight muscles and limited range of motion in their knees or hips, especially those who suffer from limited flexibility in either. If this applies to you, limit how far you bring your knee into your chest by clasping behind rather than around it with one hand.
Exercise to add into your routine as it can help increase flexibility and ease tension in the hips, low back, and glutes – not to mention improve daily activities!
Leg Lifts
Leg lifts are an effective and straightforward exercise designed to strengthen hip muscles, such as glutes and quads, balance, posture and improve balance. According to Shape, they may even alleviate any pain caused by sitting too long which makes this exercise especially valuable for people who spend most of their workday sitting down.
A basic leg lift begins by lying on your back with both legs stacked atop each other and with feet pointed away from your body. Inhale slowly while raising one leg up until they form a 90-degree angle relative to your torso; remembering to keep core engaged throughout this movement to prevent swaying or swinging; exhale as you return leg back down into starting position and repeat until desired number of repetitions have been met.
Another variation of leg lift is to perform a single-leg lift while lying on your back or suspended from a bench, making this variation of leg lifting even more challenging and forcing you to connect with your core without support from a bench.
While performing a single-leg leg raise, if your kneecaps feel uncomfortably soft when performing it, try placing a pillow underneath or holding on to a bar at the gym as additional stability. This technique is particularly useful for people suffering from lower back problems as it reduces impact and stress on your spine and helps alleviate overstressing symptoms.
Once you’ve built strength in your core, back and hip flexors, the prone leg lift is an effective exercise to strengthen all these areas and develop functional strength for improved balance and posture. According to Pritikin Longevity Center. it strengthens all four areas simultaneously for increased balance and posture improvement.
Leg Twists
Bent Leg Body Twist is an effective core exercise to strengthen abdominal and back muscles, improve posture and increase stability while alleviating lower back pain caused by weak core and spinal muscles. You can perform it alone or combine it with other core exercises such as planks or bicycle crunches for maximum effectiveness.
Beginning by placing your forearms on the pads and gripping the handles with both hands, and with legs pointed below you at a right angle to your torso. Slowly lower both legs to one side as far as possible while keeping them close together until inhaling and returning to center – then repeat on opposite side!
Once you become comfortable with the movement, try adding an additional twist by wrapping your arm around your knee (as depicted in the second image above). This external lever variation increases intensity by strengthening and challenging you.
Add variety by crossing one knee in front of the other (as seen in the bottom photo above). This adds an additional challenge by demanding additional strength from your hips, or add rotation by further aparting legs to feel more stretch on one side of hip. Also try lying leg rotation as an alternative to Russian twists which may be too strenuous on spine and targeting different groups of muscles than Russian twists; lying leg rotation also works great for recovering from injuries/surgeries such as ACL tears.
Knee to Shoulder Stretch
If you suffer from hip pain and want a way to ease it, adding knee-to-opposite shoulder stretches into your daily routine may help alleviate it. These exercises can be performed either sitting or standing and can stretch both piriformis muscles and outer sides of hips; furthermore they strengthen core.
Establish an all-fours position, with your toes touching and knees wider than hip distance apart. Lower your hips toward your heels while keeping hands between knees. Gradually shift right knee across body towards left and feel stretch along outside hip and upper back area for 30 seconds before returning back to starting position ten times with different knee.
Cross your right arm over your chest, pull it to your opposite shoulder until you feel a stretching sensation in front of it, and use the other arm if necessary to maintain balance. This stretch can be performed either one shoulder at a time; both will benefit immensely! This workout for back and neck muscles should provide plenty of resistance exercise.
Wall Slides
Wall Slides are an exercise often prescribed in physical therapy programs to improve shoulder mobility and stability, making them great for personal fitness as they don’t require any special equipment – great for doing anywhere! They can even accommodate various fitness levels by being done against walls, doors or the floor!
Regular wall slides can greatly improve posture, protect shoulders from injuries and increase upper body strength. They’re especially beneficial to people performing overhead movements such as lifting weights or pushing objects over their head; such overhead movements place undue strain on shoulders. Furthermore, wall slides may reduce pain in neck, arms and shoulders through decreased stiffness.
To execute Wall Slides, first position yourself against a wall with feet about shoulder-width apart and bend your elbows to 90 degrees with palms against it. Slowly start sliding your forearms up the wall while maintaining contact between hands, elbows and wrists and the wall at all times; when reaching the top, pause briefly before gradually sliding them back down again – repeat this cycle until your desired number of repetitions are complete before switching arms.
When performing Wall Slides, make sure your back remains flat throughout. If it arches at any point, this indicates you’re engaging the muscles incorrectly. Also take care not to overdo this exercise by performing too many reps or sets at once – start slowly as your experience grows and increase gradually over time.
