ILIOPSOAS SYNDROME

 The Injury

The iliopsoas muscle lies in front of the hip joint and sits deeply below the surface of the skin.

• Its main job is to flex the hip (bringing the leg out in front of the body) as when kicking a ball. The iliopsoas attaches to the thigh bone via the iliopsoas tendon (a tendon is a structure which attaches muscle to bone).
• In between the tendon and the hip joint lies the iliopsoas bursa (a small sac of fluid). Bursae are present wherever moving parts occur, and help to reduce friction. They are normally found around joints and where tendons, muscles or ligaments pass over bony prominences.
• Iliopsoas Syndrome is the name given to a condition in which a person has iliopsoas bursitis (irritation and inflammation of the iliopsoas bursa) and/or iliopsoas tendonitis (irritation and inflammation of the iliopsoas tendon). The condition occurs primarily in gymnasts, dancers and track athletes and is caused by repetitive hip flexion.

 Signs and Symptoms

• Athlete may have pain in the hip and thigh region

• Hip stiffness and in some cases a clicking or snapping hip.

• The physiotherapist should be able to diagnose the condition through manual tests, but it can be confirmed by an ultrasound or MRI scan.

 Treatment

• Allow the condition to settle down and pain to decrease through rest, electrotherapy and anti-inflammatory medications.

• Once this has been achieved, a 6 week program of flexibility and strengthening exercises for muscles around the hip can begin, followed by a gradual return to full activity.

 Prevention

• As with all overuse injuries, iliopsoas syndrome can be caused by doing too much, too soon.

• When beginning or stepping up any exercise, gradual progress must be made. For example, it is impossible to increase from running 2 miles per day one week to running 10 miles per day the next week, without the body being put at risk of various problems.