Other treatments for greater trochanteric pain syndrome
Platelet-rich plasma injections are sometimes offered to people with greater trochanteric pain syndrome but have not been shown to be superior to placebo in the treatment of gluteal tendinopathy. A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis1 of 13 randomised controlled trials of nonsurgical therapies for greater trochanteric pain syndrome concluded that various treatments did not outperform a no-treatment control at 6 to 12 months. These treatments included local corticosteroid injection, platelet-rich plasma injection, extracorporeal shock-wave therapy, dry needling, and structured exercise programs. Platelet-rich plasma injection and extracorporeal shock-wave therapy may provide short-term (1 to 3 months) pain relief and structured exercise programs may provide short-term (1 to 3 months) improvement in functionGazendam, 2021.
Conversely, a 2021 systematic review2 of 27 studies (including 6 randomised controlled trials) of nonsurgical therapies for greater trochanteric pain syndrome concluded there was good evidence that platelet-rich plasma injections, extracorporeal shock-wave therapy, and local corticosteroid injections (only in the short term) were effective therapiesLadurner, 2021.
Based on these recent reviews, no clear opinion can be provided on the use of platelet-rich plasma injections for gluteal tendinopathy as a component of greater trochanteric pain syndrome.