The glutes are a group of three hip muscles that support leg strength and balance. The gluteus medius muscle, located at the side of the hip, plays an important role in stabilizing the pelvis during walking and other lower-body movements.
Gluteus Medius Tears
Gluteus medius tears affect the muscle’s tendon that attaches to the top of the thigh bone. Often, these tears develop slowly over time, leading to pain at the side of the hip that can make it difficult to walk, balance on one leg, and sleep on that side.
Most gluteus medius tears are treated with conservative methods, including physical therapy, activity modification, and pain-relieving medication. For ongoing cases that do not improve, surgery may be considered.
Surgery for a gluteus medius tendon tear most often involves using sutures and anchors to reattach the torn tendon back to the top of the thigh bone.
Gluteus medius tear surgery can be performed either arthroscopically through tiny incisions or through an open incision along the side of the hip. This allows a surgeon to access the gluteus medius tendon and reattach it back to the thigh bone.
