Greater trochanteric pain syndrome: frequency and associated factors in patients with stroke

Greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) is a common cause of lower extremity pain and is estimated to affect between 10% and 25% of the population. Despite all the research, there are no data in the literature about GTPS in the stroke population.

The aim of the study was to determine frequency and related factors of GTPS in patients with stroke.

Eighty-six patients with stroke were recruited from an inpatient rehabilitation department. Presence or absence of lateral thigh or hip pain was recorded. All patients with stroke (with or without self-reported pain) were examined using clinical criteria for the diagnosis of GTPS.

Lateral thigh or hip pain was reported on initial interviews by 29 of 86 patients. GTPS was diagnosed by means of structured physical examination maneuvers in 17 patients with stroke and self-reported pain and 11 patients with stroke without self-reported pain. Twenty-eight patients (32.6%) had GTPS. The following factors were significantly associated with GTPS: lower extremity spasticity, depression, and iliotibial band syndrome. No correlation was found between GTPS and age, sex, lesion localization, motor status, neglect, sensory loss, time since stroke, low back pain, knee and hip osteoarthritis, or health-related quality of life.

In this study, we showed that patients with stroke have a high percentage of GTPS. Early diagnosis and treatment of pain from GTPS are important in this population, because GTPS may limit applicability of motor training and affect rehabilitation outcomes.