Individuals with Persistent Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome Exhibit Impaired Pain Modulation, as well as Poorer Physical and Psychological Health, Compared with Pain-Free Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objectives

To compare physical, sensory, and psychosocial factors between individuals with greater trochanteric pain syndrome and controls and to explore factors associated with pain and disability.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

General community.

Subjects

Patients with persistent, clinically diagnosed greater trochanteric pain syndrome and healthy controls.

Methods

Participants completed tests of thermal and pressure pain threshold, conditioned pain modulation, temporal summation, muscle strength, physical function, physical activity, psychological factors, and health-related quality of life. Standardized mean differences between groups were calculated, and multiple linear regression identified factors associated with pain and disability.

Results

Forty patients (95% female, average [SD] age = 51 [9] years) and 58 controls (95% female, average [SD] age = 53 [11] years) were included. Heat pain threshold, temporal summation, and pain catastrophizing were not different between groups. Compared with controls, patients displayed significantly poorer quality of life (standardized mean difference = –2.66), lower pressure pain threshold locally (–1.47, remotely = –0.57), poorer health status (–1.22), impaired physical function (range = 0.64–1.20), less conditioned pain modulation (–1.01), weaker hip abductor/extensor strength (–1.01 and –0.59), higher depression (0.72) and anxiety (0.61) levels, lower cold pain threshold locally (–0.47, remotely = –0.39), and less time spent in (vigorous) physical activity (range = –0.43 to –0.39). Twenty-six percent of pain and disability was explained by depression, hip abductor strength, and time to complete stairs.

Conclusions

Patients with greater trochanteric pain syndrome exhibited poorer health-related quality of life, physical impairments, widespread hyperalgesia, and greater psychological distress than healthy controls. Physical and psychological factors were associated with pain and disability.