title: Gluteal muscle contracture: diagnosis and management options.
abstract: Gluteal muscle contracture (GMC), a debilitating disease, exists all over the globe but it is much more prevalent in China. Patients typically present with abduction and external rotation of the hip and are unable to bring both the knees together while squatting. Multiple etiologies have been postulated, the commonest being repeated intramuscular injection into the buttocks. The disease is diagnosed primarily by clinical features but radiological features are necessary for the exclusion of other pathological conditions. Non-operative treatment with physiotherapy can be tried before surgery is considered but it usually fails. Different surgical techniques have been described and claimed to have a better outcome of one over another but controversy still exists. Based on published literatures, the clinical outcome is exceptionally good in all established methods of surgery. However, endoscopic surgery is superior to conventional open surgery in terms of cosmetic outcome with fewer complications. Nevertheless, its use has been limited by lack of adequate knowledge, instrumentations, and some inherent limitations. Above all, post-operative rehabilitation plays a key role in better outcome, which however should be started gradually.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1277 Jiefang Avenue, 430022 Wuhan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Saroj
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1277 Jiefang Avenue, 430022 Wuhan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chunqing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1277 Jiefang Avenue, 430022 Wuhan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1095 Jiefang Avenue, 430030 Wuhan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Nabin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1277 Jiefang Avenue, 430022 Wuhan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shengyang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1277 Jiefang Avenue, 430022 Wuhan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shuhua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1277 Jiefang Avenue, 430022 Wuhan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang