Execution
- 1Position the patient side-lying with the symptomatic side uppermost or in another position that exposes the lateral hip.
- 2Identify the greater trochanter and gluteal tendon insertions.
- 3Palpate the lateral, anterolateral, and posterosuperior facets of the greater trochanter.
- 4Compare tenderness with the opposite side.
- 5Ask whether palpation reproduces the patient’s familiar lateral hip pain.
Positive outcome
Reproduction of familiar lateral hip pain over the greater trochanter is positive. Tenderness alone is common and less specific if it does not match the patient’s complaint. Palpation should be interpreted with loading and compression tests.
Studies
| Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grimaldi et al. (2017) | NA | 80 | 46.7 | 1.50 | 0.43 |
CommentGreater trochanter palpation is sensitive but poorly specific for MRI-confirmed gluteal tendinopathy. It is useful as an entry point to lateral hip pain assessment, but many patients with lateral hip pain are tender to palpation. A negative palpation test lowers suspicion more than a positive test confirms the diagnosis.
Moderate Clinical Value