Focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy for greater trochanteric pain syndrome with gluteal tendinopathy: a randomized controlled trial

50 patients with gluteal tendinopathy and trochanteric pain syndrome were randomized to three weekly sessions of focused extracorporeal shockwave therapy (f-ESWT) or ten daily sessions of therapeutic ultrasound (UST). Patients were assessed for pain and functional outcome at 2-month follow-up and 6-month follow-up. Numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain was significantly lower in the f-ESWT group compared to the UST group at 2 months and 6 months. Outcome on the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) did not significantly differ between the two groups at 2 months and 6 months.