The effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma injections in gluteal tendinopathy - a randomised, double-blind controlled trial comparing a single platelet-rich plasma injection with a single corticosteroid injection.

Abstract

Importance: Gluteus medius/minimus tendinopathy is a common cause of lateral hip pain or greater trochanteric pain syndrome.

Objective: There would be no difference in the modified Harris Hip score between a single Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP) injection compared to a corticosteroid injection (CSI) in the treatment of gluteal tendinopathy.

Design: Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial; Level of evidence 1, recruitment 29 May 2013 to May 2015, follow-up September 2016. Treating/assessing clinicians and subjects were blinded to treatment. PARTICIPANTS: 228 consecutive patients referred with gluteal tendinopathy were screened to enrol 80 participants. 148 excluded (refusal 48, previous surgery 39, sciatica 28, osteoarthritis 17, full thickness tears tendons 17, other 22).

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.