(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Ultrasound-guided cortisone injections may be an effective treatment for gluteus medius tendinopathy, a common condition caused by injury to the tendons in the buttocks which can cause severe hip pain.

"The underlying causes remain unclear but probably are multi-factorial and involve mechanical and degenerative processes," Etienne Cardinal, MD, lead author of the study, was quoted as saying. Medical treatment usually includes physiotherapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, and local injections of corticosteroids.

The study, performed at the University of Montreal's Hospital Center, included 54 patients with gluteus medius tendinopathy. All patients received ultrasound-guided cortisone injections. "One month after treatment, 72 percent of the patients showed a clinically significant improvement in pain level,” said Cardinal. “Seventy percent of patients were satisfied with the results of the intervention.”