Gluteal tendinopathy is a long-term condition that affects the tendons of the gluteal (buttock) muscles in the hip. Also known as Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS), it can cause a lot of pain that might last for months or even years. This pain can make it hard to sleep and do everyday activities like walking.
We are currently running a trial called LEAP-Ireland to see if an exercise and education program, which was first tested in Australia, works better than the usual care for this condition. We found from the trial that some people didn’t fully understand what gluteal tendinopathy is or how to manage it. Those that received the education program during the trial (a video by one of our team members based on the original Australian program) found it helpful in understanding their condition. However, we think there is a gap in the general knowledge of this condition among patients and the public which we can help address.
We plan to create an online educational resource with the help of a public and patient involvement (PPI) panel, made up of people with gluteal tendinopathy. The panel, along with clinical and research experts, will help decide the format (e.g., video, booklet, or web resource) and content of this resource.
This resource will be available for free on our LEAP-Ireland trial website and shared through social media. We will also promote it to healthcare practitioners so they can share it with their patients. We will track how many people access this resource and conduct an anonymous online survey to get feedback on its usefulness and relevance, to see if any changes are needed. We will also assess the PPI panel’s experience of being involved in development of the resource.