Greater Trochanteric Pain SyndromeHILT-GTPSNCT07838935
Effectiveness of High Intensity Laser Therapy in Patients With Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
A study testing Exercise Program and High Intensity Laser Therapy in people with Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome, run by Uşak University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome causes pain on the outer side of the hip. This study examined whether adding high-intensity laser therapy to exercise improved hip pain and function more than exercise alone. Adults with this condition were randomly assigned to two groups. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
- What is being tested?
- Exercise Program and High Intensity Laser Therapy
- Type of treatment
- Medical device, Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 45 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 10 Feb 2026to 14 Aug 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18 years or older.
- Clinical diagnosis of greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS), supported by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Lateral hip pain lasting at least 3 months.
- Baseline Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score of at least 4 out of 10.
- Ability to understand and complete the assessment forms.
- No participation in regular sports during the previous 6 months.
- Provision of written informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Previous surgery on the affected hip.
- Advanced hip osteoarthritis.
- Lumbar radiculopathy or a neurological disease affecting lower limb function.
- History of inflammatory rheumatic disease.
- Active infection or malignancy.
- Corticosteroid injection in the trochanteric region within the previous 3 months.
Show all 10Show fewer
- Participation in a physical therapy or rehabilitation program for GTPS within the previous 3 months.
- Pregnancy.
- Any contraindication to high-intensity laser therapy (HILT).
- Inability to follow the treatment or follow-up protocol.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Investigation of the Effectiveness of High Intensity Laser Therapy in Patients Diagnosed With Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome causes pain on the outer side of the hip. This study examined whether adding high-intensity laser therapy to exercise improved hip pain and function more than exercise alone.
Adults with this condition were randomly assigned to two groups. Both groups followed the same exercise program three days per week for 8 weeks. One group also received high-intensity laser therapy twice weekly for 4 weeks, for a total of eight sessions. Each laser session lasted 15 minutes.
The main outcome was the total Harris Hip Score, which assesses hip pain and function. Pain intensity and quality of life were also assessed. Evaluations took place before treatment, 1 month after treatment initiation, and 3 months after completion of the 8-week exercise program.
Read the detailed description
This single-center, randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic of Uşak Training and Research Hospital. Participants had lateral hip pain lasting at least 3 months. The diagnosis was based on clinical examination and supported by magnetic resonance imaging.
Participants were assigned to exercise alone or high-intensity laser therapy plus exercise using a computer-generated random number list. The trial was open-label. Participants, the treating physiotherapist, and the physician performing the assessments knew the treatment assignments. No sham laser treatment was used.
The exercise program included gluteal muscle activation, hip abductor strengthening, pelvic stabilization, stretching, and functional exercises. A physician taught the exercises. Participants were instructed to perform three sets of 10 repetitions for each exercise. Exercise intensity and progression were adjusted to pain tolerance and functional capacity. Adherence was monitored through weekly telephone calls.
An experienced physiotherapist applied laser treatment around the greater trochanter and the gluteus medius and minimus tendon insertions. Both the participant and the physiotherapist wore protective eyewear. Participants were monitored for adverse events during and after treatment.
- Conditions
- Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
- Being tested
- Exercise Program, High Intensity Laser Therapy
- Keywords
- Lateral Hip Pain, High-Intensity Laser Therapy, Exercise Therapy, Trochanteric Bursitis;, Gluteal Tendinopathy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Exercise ProgramBehavioural
Participants performed a standardized hip exercise program three days per week for 8 weeks. A physician taught the exercises. The program included gluteal muscle activation, hip abductor strengthening, pelvic stabilization, stretching, and functional closed kinetic chain exercises. Exercise intensity and progression were adjusted to each participant's pain tolerance and functional capacity. Adherence was monitored through weekly telephone calls.
High Intensity Laser TherapyDevice
High intensity laser therapy was applied to the greater trochanteric region and the painful insertion sites of the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus tendons twice weekly for 4 weeks, for a total of 8 sessions. Each session lasted 15 minutes. Both the participant and the therapist wore protective eyewear during each session.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Program | Active comparator | Participants received a standardized hip exercise program three days per week for 8 weeks. The program included gluteal muscle activation, hip abductor strengthening, pelvic stabilization, stretching, and functional exercises. Adherence was monitored through weekly telephone calls. Receives: Behavioral: Exercise Program |
| High Intensity Laser Therapy + Exercise Program | Experimental | Participants received the same 8-week exercise program as the control group. They also received high-intensity laser therapy around the greater trochanter and the gluteus medius and minimus tendon insertions. High intensity laser therapy was administered using a BTL 6000 device with a maximum power output of 12 W and a wavelength of 1064 nm. The applicator was moved continuously in circular motions in both treatment modes. A fixed spacer measuring 2.5 cm in diameter maintained a distance of 1 cm between the applicator and the skin, with the applicator positioned perpendicular to the treatment area. During the first week, three sessions were delivered in analgesic mode at 10 W, with an energy density of 12 J/cm² and an application time of 2 minutes per 25 cm². During the following two weeks, six sessions were delivered in biostimulation mode at 9.5 W, with an energy density of 84 J/cm² and an application time of 15 minutes per 25 cm². A total of 8 sessions were administered ov Receives: Behavioral: Exercise Program; Device: High Intensity Laser Therapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Total Harris Hip Score (HHS)
Hip pain and function were assessed using the Harris Hip Score (HHS). The score includes pain, function, deformity, and range of motion. Total scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better hip status. The total HHS was the primary outcome measure.
Measured: Baseline, 1 month after treatment initiation, and 3 months after completion of the 8-week exercise program.
Secondary outcomes (2)
Pain intensity measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
Lateral hip pain during daily activities was assessed using a 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Scores range from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Lower scores indicate less pain.
Measured: Baseline, 1 month after treatment initiation, and 3 months after completion of the 8-week exercise program.
SF-36
Health-related quality of life will be assessed using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. The SF-36 evaluates eight domains of health, including physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health, role limitations due to emotional problems, vitality, mental health, social functioning, bodily pain, and general health. Higher scores indicate better health-related quality of life. In this study, the SF-36 will be used as a secondary outcome measure to evaluate changes in health-related quality of life.
Measured: Baseline, 1 month after treatment initiation, and 3 months after completion of the 8-week exercise program.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Sep 2026
- Study start10 Feb 2026
- Primary completion14 Aug 2026
- Study completion14 Aug 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Greater Trochanteric Pain SyndromeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- This study uses a two-arm parallel assignment model. Eligible participants with greater trochanteric pain syndrome will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a standard exercise group or a standard exercise plus high-intensity laser therapy group. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 1 month after treatment initiation, and 3 months after completion of the 8-week exercise program.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 45 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Uşak University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Nihal Yilmaz, Uşak University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07838935
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1100-1100-29
- Acronym
- HILT-GTPS
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 2 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 8 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: There is currently no plan to share individual participant data with other researchers. Study results will be reported in aggregate form.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Investigation of the Effectiveness of High Intensity Laser Therapy in Patients Diagnosed With Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07838935
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HILT-GTPS / 1100-1100-29
- Conditions
- Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
- Keywords
- Lateral Hip Pain, High-Intensity Laser Therapy, Exercise Therapy, Trochanteric Bursitis;, Gluteal Tendinopathy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 45 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Uşak UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 14 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 14 Aug 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 24 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome causes pain on the outer side of the hip. This study examined whether adding high-intensity laser therapy to exercise improved hip pain and function more than exercise alone.
Adults with this condition were randomly assigned to two groups. Both groups followed the same exercise program three days per week for 8 weeks. One group also received high-intensity laser therapy twice weekly for 4 weeks, for a total of eight sessions. Each laser session lasted 15 minutes.
The main outcome was the total Harris Hip Score, which assesses hip pain and function. Pain intensity and quality of life were also assessed. Evaluations took place before treatment, 1 month after treatment initiation, and 3 months after completion of the 8-week exercise program.
Detailed description
This single-center, randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic of Uşak Training and Research Hospital. Participants had lateral hip pain lasting at least 3 months. The diagnosis was based on clinical examination and supported by magnetic resonance imaging.
Participants were assigned to exercise alone or high-intensity laser therapy plus exercise using a computer-generated random number list. The trial was open-label. Participants, the treating physiotherapist, and the physician performing the assessments knew the treatment assignments. No sham laser treatment was used.
The exercise program included gluteal muscle activation, hip abductor strengthening, pelvic stabilization, stretching, and functional exercises. A physician taught the exercises. Participants were instructed to perform three sets of 10 repetitions for each exercise. Exercise intensity and progression were adjusted to pain tolerance and functional capacity. Adherence was monitored through weekly telephone calls.
An experienced physiotherapist applied laser treatment around the greater trochanter and the gluteus medius and minimus tendon insertions. Both the participant and the physiotherapist wore protective eyewear. Participants were monitored for adverse events during and after treatment.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- This study uses a two-arm parallel assignment model. Eligible participants with greater trochanteric pain syndrome will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a standard exercise group or a standard exercise plus high-intensity laser therapy group. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 1 month after treatment initiation, and 3 months after completion of the 8-week exercise program.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Program | Active comparator | Behavioral: Exercise ProgramParticipants received a standardized hip exercise program three days per week for 8 weeks. The program included gluteal muscle activation, hip abductor strengthening, pelvic stabilization, stretching, and functional exercises. Adherence was monitored through weekly telephone calls. |
| High Intensity Laser Therapy + Exercise Program | Experimental | Behavioral: Exercise Program, Device: High Intensity Laser TherapyParticipants received the same 8-week exercise program as the control group. They also received high-intensity laser therapy around the greater trochanter and the gluteus medius and minimus tendon insertions. High intensity laser therapy was administered using a BTL 6000 device with a maximum power output of 12 W and a wavelength of 1064 nm. The applicator was moved continuously in circular motions in both treatment modes. A fixed spacer measuring 2.5 cm in diameter maintained a distance of 1 cm between the applicator and the skin, with the applicator positioned perpendicular to the treatment area. During the first week, three sessions were delivered in analgesic mode at 10 W, with an energy density of 12 J/cm² and an application time of 2 minutes per 25 cm². During the following two weeks, six sessions were delivered in biostimulation mode at 9.5 W, with an energy density of 84 J/cm² and an application time of 15 minutes per 25 cm². A total of 8 sessions were administered ov |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Age 18 years or older.
- Clinical diagnosis of greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS), supported by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Lateral hip pain lasting at least 3 months.
- Baseline Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score of at least 4 out of 10.
- Ability to understand and complete the assessment forms.
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- Previous surgery on the affected hip.
- Advanced hip osteoarthritis.
- Lumbar radiculopathy or a neurological disease affecting lower limb function.
- History of inflammatory rheumatic disease.
- Active infection or malignancy.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise ProgramParticipants performed a standardized hip exercise program three days per week for 8 weeks. A physician taught the exercises. The program included gluteal muscle activation, hip abductor strengthening, pelvic stabilization, stretching, and functional closed kinetic chain exercises. Exercise intensity and progression were adjusted to each participant's pain tolerance and functional capacity. Adherence was monitored through weekly telephone calls. | Behavioural | Exercise Program, High Intensity Laser Therapy + Exercise Program |
| High Intensity Laser TherapyHigh intensity laser therapy was applied to the greater trochanteric region and the painful insertion sites of the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus tendons twice weekly for 4 weeks, for a total of 8 sessions. Each session lasted 15 minutes. Both the participant and the therapist wore protective eyewear during each session. | Device | High Intensity Laser Therapy + Exercise Program |
Primary outcome
Total Harris Hip Score (HHS)
Time frame: Baseline, 1 month after treatment initiation, and 3 months after completion of the 8-week exercise program.
Hip pain and function were assessed using the Harris Hip Score (HHS). The score includes pain, function, deformity, and range of motion. Total scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better hip status. The total HHS was the primary outcome measure.
2 secondary outcomes
Pain intensity measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
Time frame: Baseline, 1 month after treatment initiation, and 3 months after completion of the 8-week exercise program.
SF-36
Time frame: Baseline, 1 month after treatment initiation, and 3 months after completion of the 8-week exercise program.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. There is currently no plan to share individual participant data with other researchers. Study results will be reported in aggregate form.
Related trials for Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
Recruiting
Enhancing Exercise Adherence Among Patients With Lateral Hip Pain
Greater Trochanter Pain Syndrome, Hip Pain
Recruiting
ReneuRx™ (Nerve Selective Therapy) Utilized in Lateral Hip Pain
Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome, Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome of Both Lower Limbs
Not yet recruiting
Comparing Standard Care Approaches for Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome in General Practice
Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome, Gluteal Tendinopathy
Not yet recruitingPhase 4
Emerging Indications for Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment
Post-COVID-19 Condition, Ulcerative Colitis
Recruiting
HILT in Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Exercise Program and High Intensity Laser Therapy in people with Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome, run by Uşak University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Total Harris Hip Score (HHS) (time frame: Baseline, 1 month after treatment initiation, and 3 months after completion of the 8-week exercise program.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Oct 2026.