Penn Highlands Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Team Helps Advance National Research on Treatment for Chronic Hip Tendon Pain

Penn Highlands Healthcare is contributing to national sports medicine research through participation in a prospective, multicenter study evaluating a treatment for chronic gluteal tendinopathy, a common cause of persistent pain along the outside of the hip.

Gluteal tendinopathy is part of a broader condition known as greater trochanteric pain syndrome and is often referred to by patients as trochanteric bursitis or hip bursitis. It can cause pain with walking, climbing stairs, exercising and lying on the affected side.

The recently published study in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science examined outcomes in patients whose symptoms continued despite traditional treatments such as physical therapy, medications and injections. Researchers evaluated a procedure using the TenJet® system to selectively remove damaged and degenerative tendon tissue while preserving surrounding healthy tissue.

Penn Highlands Physician Contributes to National Research

The Penn Highlands Orthopedics and Sports Medicine team participated in the multicenter research effort, with Christopher Varacallo, DO, CAQSM, FAAFP, a sports fellowship-trained and board-certified orthopedic physician, serving as a study investigator and co-author.

Penn Highlands Orthopedics and Sports Medicine was one of six study locations participating in the broader research effort, alongside programs associated with Stanford Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Ochsner Health, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute.

The national scope of the research highlights the level of specialty care and clinical research available through Penn Highlands Healthcare.

Study Reports Improvement in Pain and Function

Patients in the study experienced substantial improvement in pain and function during the six-month follow-up period. Pain improvement was observed early following treatment, while functional gains continued over subsequent months. The study also reported a favorable short-term safety profile, with no serious complications or device malfunctions during the follow-up period.

“For many patients with chronic lateral hip pain or what they may have been told is hip bursitis, there can be a difficult gap between conservative treatment and surgery,” said Dr. Varacallo. “Our goal as a sports medicine team is to help develop and evaluate additional treatment options that address the underlying source of pain while helping patients recover and return to function as efficiently as possible.”

Patients with longstanding lateral hip pain may continue to struggle even after months of conventional treatment. In some cases, the underlying problem involves degenerative changes in the gluteal tendons rather than inflammation of the bursa alone.

The study also underscores the expanding role of Penn Highlands Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in clinical research, physician education and advanced musculoskeletal care. By participating in national multicenter studies, the team is helping evaluate emerging treatment strategies while bringing those advances directly to patients throughout central and western Pennsylvania.

“This is an important example of the level of sports medicine care and research available to patients close to home,” said Dr. Varacallo. “Our team is participating in the same collaborative research efforts as some of the country’s most recognized academic and orthopedic institutions, allowing us to bring a research-driven approach and advanced treatment options directly to the communities we serve.”

The publication represents the six-month interim analysis of an ongoing prospective, multicenter study. Longer-term follow-up is planned to determine whether improvements in pain and function are maintained over time.

If you are experiencing tendon pain, Penn Highlands Orthopedics and Sports Medicine can help determine the cause of your pain and identify appropriate treatment options. For more information, visit phhealthcare.org/orthopedics.