Modern Orthobiologic Treatment of Gluteal Tendinopathy

BackgroundTendinopathies are specific degenerative conditions of the tendon characterized by pain and disability. The most common tendinopathies of the lower limbs are patellar, Achilles, gluteal, and proximal tendinopathy of the hamstring muscles. Exercise therapy has been studied for the treatment of these tendinopathies; however, different types of muscle contraction, exercise, dose, and intensity are found in the literature, which can make choosing the best treatment option difficult. The purpose of this systematic review is to analyze the available evidence about the effectiveness of exercise therapy in the treatment of patients with lower limb tendinopathies and the effects of different types of exercise therapy in the treatment of these patients.MethodsThe search strategy will be performed in the following databases: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PEDro, SPORTDiscus, and CINAHL. The inclusion criteria of the studies will be randomized controlled trials with patients with one of the following tendinopathies: patellar, Achilles, gluteal, and proximal tendinopathy of the hamstring muscles. The primary outcomes will be pain and disability. The intervention will be exercise therapy, and the comparators will be different types of exercise, control groups, or any other type of intervention.DiscussionOther systematic reviews have been published about the prescription of exercise therapy in the treatment of tendinopathies of the lower limbs. However, the results of these reviews are limited to only one type of tendinopathy or specific exercise. Because some of these reviews are also outdated, this systematic review will investigate whether exercise therapy is more effective than any other type of intervention and if there is a best form of exercise therapy, considering modality, dose, and intensity, for the treatment of lower limb tendinopathies. Furthermore, this study will present data related to the sample size, recruitment period, methodological quality, and visibility of the eligible studies.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO (CRD42018093011)

Background:Gluteal tendinopathy is a common cause of lateral hip pain, and existing conservative treatment modalities demonstrate high symptom recurrence rates. Autologous tenocyte injection (ATI) is a promising cell therapy that may be useful for the treatment of gluteal tendinopathy.Purpose:To investigate the safety and effectiveness of ATI, specifically in patients with chronic recalcitrant gluteal tendinopathy.Study Design:Case series; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:Twelve female patients with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of gluteal tendinopathy were recruited. Patients demonstrated a mean duration of symptoms of 33 months (range, 6-144 months), had undergone a mean 3.2 prior corticosteroid injections (range, 2-5), and had failed to respond to existing conservative treatments including physiotherapy and injections. In an initial procedure, tendon cells were harvested from a needle biopsy of the patella tendon and propagated in a certified Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) laboratory. In a secondary procedure, a single injection of 2 mL autologous tenocytes (2-5 × 106 cells/mL) suspended in patient serum was injected into the site of the pathological gluteal tendons under ultrasound guidance. Patients were assessed pre- and postinjection (3, 6, 12, and 24 months) using the Oxford Hip Score (OHS), a visual analog pain scale (VAS), the Short Form–36 (SF-36), and a satisfaction scale. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was undertaken at 8.7 months (range, 6-12 months) postinjection.Results:Molecular characterization of autologous tendon cells showed a profile of growth factor production in all cases, including platelet-derived growth factor α, fibroblast growth factor β, and transforming growth factor β. The OHS (mean, 24.0 preinjection to 38.9 at 12 months [14.9-point improvement]; 95% CI, 10.6-19.2; P < .001), VAS (mean, 7.2 preinjection to 3.1 at 12 months [4.1-point improvement]; 95% CI, 2.6-5.6; P < .001), and SF-36 (mean, 28.1 preinjection to 43.3 at 12 months [15.2-point improvement]; 95% CI, 9.8-20.5; P < .001) significantly improved to 12 months postinjection, sustained to 24 months. Eight patients were satisfied with their outcomes. Significant MRI-based improvement could not be demonstrated in the majority of cases.Conclusion:ATI for gluteal tendinopathy is safe, with improved and sustained clinical outcomes to 24 months.

BackgroundThe etiology of tendinopathy remains controversial and it is unknown whether degenerative structural changes in tendinopathies are reversible.HypothesisThere will be no structural change on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) taken > 2-years after treatment for gluteal tendinopathy.Study DesignExtension of a single site, double-blind, prospective randomized-controlled trial to analyze the additional outcome measure; MRI changes.MethodsUniversity of Melbourne ethics approval number: 1852900, trial registration: ACTRN12613000677707. Participants with gluteal tendinopathy who had previously received a leukocyte-rich platelet-rich plasma injection (LR-PRP) or a corticosteroid injection (CSI) had a post treatment MRI between at least 2-years and up to 7 years following trial completion. A blinded, senior musculoskeletal radiologist graded all de-identified MRI scans using the Melbourne Hip Score (MHIP). The primary outcome measure was the change in overall pre- and post-treatment score.ResultsParticipants (n = 20) underwent MRI at mean time of 4.15 (SD 1.11; range 2–7) years after their initial treatment. There was no change in the overall mean MHIP score for the CSI group (Pre 4.3 (SD 2.3) Post 4.3 (SD 1.1), p = 1.00). Although there was an improvement in the LR-PRP group mean MHIP score (Pre 5.3 (SD 3.0) Post 4.77 (SD 2.5), p = 0.56) it was not statistically significant. However, in the LR-PRP intervention group, five out of nine of participants’ MHIP score improved, with four of these improving by 2–4 points.ConclusionThe hypothesis that there would be no improvement in MHIP scores following treatment of gluteal tendinopathy was supported. Findings of improvement in the LR-PRP group at 4 years would support further studies powered to look for structural improvement. These findings suggest that structural change following treatment for tendinopathy may be possible supporting the inclusion of MRI as a core outcome for future studies.Clinical relevanceThe study suggests that degenerative structural changes in tendons may be reversible.

Background: Gluteus medius/minimus tendinopathy is a common cause of lateral hip pain or greater trochanteric pain syndrome. Hypothesis: There would be no difference in the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) between a single platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection compared with a corticosteroid injection in the treatment of gluteal tendinopathy. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: There were 228 consecutive patients referred with gluteal tendinopathy who were screened to enroll 80 participants; 148 were excluded (refusal: n = 42; previous surgery or sciatica: n = 50; osteoarthritis, n = 17; full-thickness tendon tear, n = 17; other: n = 22). Participants were randomized (1:1) to receive either a blinded glucocorticoid or PRP injection intratendinously under ultrasound guidance. A pain and functional assessment was performed using the mHHS questionnaire at 0, 2, 6, and 12 weeks and the patient acceptable symptom state (PASS) and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) at 12 weeks. Results: Participants had a mean age of 60 years, a ratio of female to male of 9:1, and mean duration of symptoms of >14 months. Pain and function measured by the mean mHHS showed no difference at 2 weeks (corticosteroid: 66.95 ± 15.14 vs PRP: 65.23 ± 11.60) or 6 weeks (corticosteroid: 69.51 ± 14.78 vs PRP: 68.79 ± 13.33). The mean mHHS was significantly improved at 12 weeks in the PRP group (74.05 ± 13.92) compared with the corticosteroid group (67.13 ± 16.04) (P = .048). The proportion of participants who achieved an outcome score of ≥74 at 12 weeks was 17 of 37 (45.9%) in the corticosteroid group and 25 of 39 (64.1%) in the PRP group. The proportion of participants who achieved the MCID of more than 8 points at 12 weeks was 21 of 37 (56.7%) in the corticosteroid group and 32 of 39 (82%) in the PRP group (P = .016). Conclusion: Patients with chronic gluteal tendinopathy >4 months, diagnosed with both clinical and radiological examinations, achieved greater clinical improvement at 12 weeks when treated with a single PRP injection than those treated with a single corticosteroid injection. Registration: ACTRN12613000677707 (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry).

Background:Gluteal tendinopathy is the most common lower limb tendinopathy. It presents with varying severity but may cause debilitating lateral hip pain.Purpose:To review the therapeutic options for different stages of gluteal tendinopathy, to highlight gaps within the existing evidence, and to provide guidelines for a stage-adjusted therapy for gluteal tendinopathy.Study Design:Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:We screened Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, PubMed Central, Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, UpToDate, and Google Scholar databases and databases for grey literature. Patient selection, diagnostic criteria, type and effect of a therapeutic intervention, details regarding aftercare, outcome assessments, complications of the treatment, follow-up, and conclusion of the authors were recorded. An assessment of study methodological quality (type of study, level of evidence) was also performed. Statistical analysis was descriptive. Data from multiple studies were combined if they were obtained from a single patient population. Weighted mean and range calculations were performed.Results:A total of 27 studies (6 randomized controlled trials) with 1103 patients (1106 hips) were included. The mean age was 53.7 years (range, 17-88 years), and the mean body mass index was 28.3. The ratio of female to male patients was 7:1. Radiological confirmation of the diagnosis was most commonly obtained using magnetic resonance imaging. Reported treatment methods were physical therapy/exercise; injections (corticosteroids, platelet-rich plasma, autologous tenocytes) with or without needle tenotomy/tendon fenestration; shockwave therapy; therapeutic ultrasound; and surgical procedures such as bursectomy, iliotibial band release, and endoscopic or open tendon repair (with or without tendon augmentation).Conclusion:There was good evidence for using platelet-rich plasma in grades 1 and 2 tendinopathy. Shockwave therapy, exercise, and corticosteroids showed good outcomes, but the effect of corticosteroids was short term. Bursectomy with or without iliotibial band release was a valuable treatment option in grades 1 and 2 tendinopathy. Insufficient evidence was available to provide guidelines for the treatment of partial-thickness tears. There was low-level evidence to support surgical repair for grades 3 (partial-thickness tears) and 4 (full-thickness tears) tendinopathy. Fatty degeneration, atrophy, and retraction can impair surgical repair, while their effect on patient outcomes remains controversial.

Treatment of hip microinstability and gluteal tendinopathies involves movement control and exercise

Background:Recalcitrant greater trochanteric pain is increasingly recognized as an indication for surgical intervention. The arthroscopic approach has become rapidly more common than the open alternative.Hypothesis:Patients undergoing radiofrequency microdebridement (RFMD) as an adjunct to arthroscopic gluteal bursectomy (AGB) and iliotibial band release (ITBR) will experience better functional improvement than AGB and ITBR alone at 1 year.Study Design:Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2.Methods:A total of 33 patients with failed nonoperative treatment of gluteal tendinopathy were randomly allocated to undergo AGB/ITBR or AGB/ITBR + RFMD. Full-thickness tears were excluded. The primary outcome measure was the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) at 52 weeks. Secondary outcome measures included the mHHS, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), which were evaluated at 0, 6, 12, 24, and 52 weeks. Statistical significance was defined as P < .05.Results:A total of 33 participants (33 hips; 30 female and 3 male; mean age, 58 years) were randomized; 16 patients underwent AGB/ITBR + RFMD, and 17 underwent AGB/ITBR. Participants’ functionality improved in both groups at all time intervals. The mean mHHS score improved from 57.49 ± 10.61 to 77.76 ± 18.40 (P = .004) and from 58.98 ± 12.33 to 79.96 ± 18.86 (P = .001) at 52 weeks in the AGB/ITBR and AGB/ITBR + RFMD groups, respectively, although there was no statistically significant difference between groups. There were no device-related adverse events.Conclusion:AGB/ITBR led to significant improvements in patients with recalcitrant gluteal tendinopathy. In this small RCT, the addition of RFMD showed no additional benefit to AGB/ITBR but provided a safe adjunct for the surgical management of recalcitrant gluteal tendinopathy.Registration:NCT01562366 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).

Greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) is clinically defined as greater trochanter pain with mechanical characteristics. The most common diagnosis is gluteal tendinopathy. Most cases of gluteal tendinopathy resolve with conservative management. In case of refractory pain endoscopic surgical treatment can resolved symptoms. This article presents a prospective study of endoscopic proximal fascia lata release associated to trochanteric bursectomy for recalcitrant trochanteric pain syndrome. 33 patients (35 hips) with refractory pain during more than six months were included. All patients were treated by endoscopic iliotibial band release and bursectomy according to Ilizaliturri. Outcomes were assessed by using Harris hip score and Womac hip score. Patients were follow-up until one year after surgery. The mean age was 53.7 years old, there was 9 men and 24 women. There were two bilateral cases in the female group. The average duration of conservative treatment was 20 months (CI95 9 to 31 months). 68% of patients were satisfied of the surgery with disappearance of pain after surgery. WOMAC and Harris hip score significantly improved after surgery until 6 months (respectively from 67 to 29 and from 40 to 76 - p<0.05). No complication was reported. Age, body mass index and duration of conservative treatment did not influence surgical results. This study showed that the endoscopic ilio tibial band (ITB) release and trochanteric bursectomy is simple, safe and easily reproductible but future prospective studies with a larger number of patients are required.

Development and evaluation of online education for greater trochanteric pain syndrome. Protocol for a randomized control trial

Background:Gluteal tendinopathy is a common cause of lateral hip pain. Percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy (PUT) has been used successfully for the treatment of tendinopathy of the elbow, knee, and ankle, but its use in the hip has not been described.Purpose:To evaluate the efficacy of PUT in patients who did not respond to nonsurgical management of gluteal tendinopathy.Study Design:Case series; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:A total of 29 patients with gluteal tendinopathy (mean age, 62 years) who did not respond to nonsurgical treatment were enrolled in this prospective study and underwent ultrasound-guided PUT in an outpatient setting. Patients with a history of ipsilateral hip surgery were excluded. All patients initially underwent magnetic resonance imaging or a computed tomography arthrogram demonstrating tendinopathy and/or partial tearing of the gluteus minimus or medius tendon or both tendons. Outcomes were assessed with a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, the Harris Hip Score evaluation, and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) before the procedure and at subsequent follow-up visits or by telephone interviews at 3 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and final follow-up (range, 18-30 months).Results:The mean final follow-up was at 22 months postoperatively. At final follow-up, VAS scores had improved from a preprocedural mean ± SD of 5.86 ± 1.73 to 2.82 ± 2.22 (P < .01). Harris Hip Scores improved from a preprocedural mean of 60.03 ± 10.86 to 77.47 ± 14.34 (P < .01). Total SF-12 scores improved from a mean of 29.93 ± 5.39 (51% optimal) to 34.41 ± 4.88 (64% optimal) (P < .01). No complications were reported. At final follow-up, when asked whether they would have the procedure again, 15 patients replied “yes definitely,” 3 replied “yes probably,” 3 replied “maybe,” 1 replied “likely not,” and 2 replied “definitely not.” There were 3 patients who eventually had hip abductor tendon repair, and their PUT procedures were considered failures.Conclusion:PUT is an effective treatment, with good results for patients with gluteal tendinopathy.

From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Community and Geriatric Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Bei-Hu Branch and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan (K-VC, W-TW); and Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Hacettepe University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey (LÖ). All correspondence should be addressed to: Levent Özçakar, MD, Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Hacettepe University Medical School, Sıhhıye, Ankara, 06100, Turkey. Financial disclosure statements have been obtained, and no conflicts of interest have been reported by the authors or by any individuals in control of the content of this article.

Autologous tenocyte injection (ATI) for treatment of gluteal tendinopathy: A pilot study

Objective To guide clinical practice by synthesising robust evidence concerning gluteal tendinopathy management. Data sources Five electronic databases were searched from inception to August 2024 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of medium or high quality, and low risk of bias, that measured pain and function in adults with clinically diagnosed gluteal tendinopathy. Review methods Systematic review reporting proof of efficacy. PEDro scale and Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool 2.0 were used to assess internal validity and risk of bias. Efficacy was determined by comparison to minimal intervention. Methodological heterogeneity prevented meta-analysis, but we calculated standardised mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for individual study arms to facilitate comparison between interventions. Results Four interventions from four RCTs demonstrated efficacy. Exercise and education has moderate strength evidence of a medium effect on pain (SMD = 0.95; 95% CI [0.58, 1.33]) and function (SMD = 0.91; 95% CI [0.53, 1.28]) in the short term with small effects in the medium and long term. Corticosteroid injection has moderate strength evidence of a small effect on pain (SMD = 0.51; 95% CI [0.16, 0.86]) in the short term. Platelet-rich plasma injection was superior in the short term compared to corticosteroid injection for function (SMD = 0.46; 95% CI [0.00, 0.91]). For pain, focused shockwave therapy (f-ESWT) demonstrates superiority in the long term (SMD = 5.77; 95% CI [4.84, 6.71]) compared to corticosteroid injection. Conclusions Exercise and education can be cautiously recommended as the core approach for pain management and function, potentially supplemented by corticosteroid or f-ESWT, while definitive trials of promising interventions are needed to derive robust practice recommendations.

Background: Tendons are among the most frequently affected structures in musculoskeletal disorders. Polynucleotides (PNs) have been proposed to promote tendon regeneration by enhancing collagen synthesis and reducing inflammation. This retrospective clinical study aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of PNs injections in patients with different kinds of tendinopathy (mostly gluteal tendinopathy, biceps brachii tendinopathy and Achilles tendinopathy), focusing on pain reduction and functional improvement. Methods: Sixty-eight patients with clinically diagnosed tendinopathy received three peritendinous injections of a PNs-based medical device at baseline (T0), two weeks (follow-up 1), and four weeks (follow-up 2) post-T0. Follow-up assessments were conducted at follow-up 1, follow-up 2-, eight- and 24-weeks post-follow-up 2. The primary outcome was pain reduction measured by the numerical rating scale (NRS). Secondary outcomes included pain-related functional limitation (VAS-function), the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale, and patient satisfaction on a 5-point Likert scale. Results: A mean NRS and VAS-function reduction of, respectively, -1.76 ± 0.08 and -1.74 ± 0.07 were found per follow-up, with statistically significant improvements over time. At the final follow-up, 88% of patients reported being "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with the treatment. Conclusions: The results support the efficacy and safety of PNs treatment in patients with tendinopathies, as it led to significant improvements in pain and function. Further high-quality clinical studies are needed to validate these findings.

Purpose of ReviewThis review presents current understanding of mechanisms of action of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and provides a brief overview of its history and development. The central purpose of this review is to synthesize research findings investigating the effectiveness of ESWT for seven common tendinopathies (plantar heel pain, rotator cuff, lateral elbow, Achilles, gluteal, hamstring and patellar tendinopathy) and provide recommendations on clinical applicability.Recent FindingsTendinopathy is a chronic degenerative tendon disorder which is characterised by pain, swelling and impaired physical function and performance, presenting in both athletes and the general population. ESWT is an increasingly common treatment for tendinopathy, which can initiate tendon healing and regeneration. Collectively, the available evidence indicates that ESWT is effective and can be recommended in treatment for the seven tendinopathies.SummaryCurrent evidence is stronger for certain tendinopathies compared to others and uncertainties remain regarding the optimal ESWT treatment parameters. The consensus from recent literature is that although ESWT can be effective in isolation it should be combined with other treatments in tendinopathy, which needs to be addressed in future research.