Physiotherapist-led education and exercise for patients with MRI-verified hip abductor tendon pathology: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate changes in lateral hip pain following a 3-month, physiotherapist-led, education and exercise programme in patients with clinically and MRI-verified hip abductor tendon pathology. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Secondary care, Danish public teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: From May 2024 to July 2025, 60 patients (100% women) with lateral hip pain duration of >6 months, aged 18-75 years (mean age 58.2), MRI-verified hip abductor tendon pathology were included; 55 patients completed the intervention. INTERVENTIONS: Patient education on load management and modification of daily activity was provided through seven physiotherapist-led sessions over 3 months. Additionally, patients followed an individually progressed daily home-based exercise programme. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was change in the subscale pain of the revised Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS). Secondary outcomes included hip-related patient-reported outcomes and health-related quality of life, isometric hip muscle strength and a 30-second Chair Stand Test (30s-CST). RESULTS: Adherence to the exercise protocol was 85%. The mean (95% CI) score in the revised HAGOS pain improved from 46.4 (41.5 to 51.2) to 60.1 (54.4 to 65.7) at 3 months follow-up. Clinically relevant improvements were observed in secondary hip-related patient-reported outcomes, alongside improvements in generic patient-reported outcomes. Minor strength improvements were observed, while the 30s-CST improved from 11.7 (10.6 to 12.9) to 14.2 (12.8 to 15.6) repetitions. CONCLUSIONS: Following 3 months of physiotherapist-led, combined patient education and exercise therapy, patients with clinically and MRI-verified hip abductor tendon pathology, seen in secondary care, experienced clinically relevant changes in lateral hip pain measured by the revised HAGOS pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT06418217.