Shockwave Therapy for Hip Pain & Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome in Huntington, NY
Deep ache on the outside of your hip — worse lying on it at night or climbing stairs? Focused acoustic-wave therapy heals the gluteal tendons behind greater trochanteric pain syndrome — non-surgical, no injections, no downtime.
Same day appointments may be available.
Shockwave therapy for hip pain treats greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) — pain on the outside of the hip caused by gluteal tendinopathy — using focused acoustic waves to heal the tendons around the hip. At West Hills Chiropractic Pain Center in Huntington, NY, focused Storz Medical shockwave is a strong non-surgical option for outer-hip pain that hasn’t responded to rest, anti-inflammatories, or physical therapy. No injections, no downtime.
What’s causing your outer-hip pain
That deep ache on the outside of the hip — painful to lie on at night, sore when you climb stairs or stand after sitting — is usually greater trochanteric pain syndrome. For years it was blamed on bursitis, but we now understand most cases are actually gluteal tendinopathy: degeneration of the gluteal tendons where they attach to the hip bone. It’s especially common in women between 40 and 60. And like other chronic tendon problems, it tends to be a stalled-healing issue, which is why it lingers and why a treatment that restarts repair fits well.
How shockwave therapy treats the hip
Focused acoustic pulses delivered to the gluteal tendon attachments trigger the body’s repair response — increased blood flow, new microvessels, reactivated tissue-building cells. We pair it with targeted hip and gluteal strengthening, which is central to lasting recovery from GTPS.
What the research shows
Hip GTPS has notably good shockwave evidence:
- A multicenter randomized controlled trial in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery supported focused shockwave for greater trochanteric pain syndrome (Ramon et al., JBJS, 2020).
- A randomized controlled trial of focused shockwave found it effective at reducing GTPS pain in both the short and mid term (Carlisi et al., Clin Rehabil, 2019).
It’s also an under-served condition locally — many clinics don’t offer a dedicated non-surgical pathway for it.
Are you a candidate?
A good fit if you’ve had outer-hip pain for more than six weeks that hasn’t resolved with rest, anti-inflammatories, or PT — particularly if lying on that side at night is a problem. We confirm it’s gluteal tendinopathy and not hip-joint arthritis or referred back pain first, since the treatment differs.
What to expect
- Evaluation to confirm GTPS/gluteal tendinopathy vs. hip-joint or spine-referred pain.
- Treatment: five to ten minutes of focused pulses to the outer hip; firm tapping, no numbing.
- No downtime.
- Three to six sessions about a week apart.
- Strengthening program alongside. Relief builds over the weeks during and after the series.
How it compares
| Option | Treats the cause? | Long-term trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Rest / NSAIDs | No | Frequent recurrence |
| Cortisone injection | No — masks pain | Temporary; repeat shots affect tendon |
| Physical therapy alone | Partially | Often slow for stubborn cases |
| Surgery | Rarely needed | Invasive; last resort |
| Focused shockwave + strengthening | Yes | Supported by JBJS multicenter RCT; under-served locally |
Frequently asked questions
Does it hurt?
A firm tapping over the outer hip; tolerable, no anesthesia.
How many sessions?
Three to six, about a week apart.
Isn’t this just bursitis?
Most “hip bursitis” is actually gluteal tendinopathy — which is exactly what shockwave is designed to treat.
Will I be able to sleep on that side again?
Night pain lying on the hip is a hallmark of GTPS, and reducing it is a common goal; many patients improve as the tendon heals.
Do I need exercises too?
Yes — gluteal strengthening is central to lasting recovery and pairs with the shockwave.
Insurance?
Coverage varies; often out-of-pocket. We explain costs first.
What patients say
Real experiences from patients we’ve treated for tendon and joint pain at West Hills.
“That stabbing heel pain the second my feet hit the floor in the morning had been going on for almost a year. I’d tried the night splint, new orthotics, two cortisone shots — it always crept back. After a few shockwave sessions I can finally walk my dog at 6am without limping to the kitchen first. I wish I’d come in months earlier instead of just resting it and hoping.”
“I’m not even a tennis player — mine came from lifting at the gym and a desk job. Gripping a coffee mug or shaking someone’s hand would send a jolt through my forearm. My ortho offered another cortisone injection and said to give it time. Shockwave actually went after the tendon itself. Three weeks in, the morning ache is basically gone and I’m back to deadlifts.”
“I couldn’t sleep on my left side, and reaching up to a cabinet was brutal. Imaging showed a calcium deposit in the rotator cuff, and the surgical consult was already on the table. Someone suggested I try shockwave first. The difference in how I can lift my arm overhead now is night and day, and I never had to schedule the surgery.”
“As a runner, the stiffness and pain at the back of my heel was wrecking my training. Stretching, new shoes, weeks off — nothing held. What I liked is that they explained why a chronic tendon doesn’t heal on its own and how the treatment kick-starts it. I’m back to my long runs without that ‘walking on a pebble’ feeling every morning.”
Ready to treat your hip without injections?
Find out whether focused shockwave is right for your outer-hip pain. We’ll confirm it’s gluteal tendinopathy and rule out other causes first.