Abbreviation

Athletes in whom the actual fibers and/or the tendon of the iliopsoas muscle are shortened experience significant movement restrictions in addition to the typical pain. Running is often hindered by the fact that the flexion of the hip joint is severely restricted. The pain caused by the shortened muscle also restricts athletic performance.

Once the muscle is shortened, only lengthy physiotherapeutic exercises and regular stretching can remedy the problem. Affected athletes with a shortened M. Iliopsoas must have a high degree of patience. Even if the disease is diagnosed early, it takes weeks until the pain symptoms are resolved.

In most cases, the dilation of the shortened muscle even covers a significantly longer period. It can take months until complete regeneration with restoration of the accustomed workload. For this reason, athletes should prevent the development of a shortened M. Iliopsoas from the outset.

The iliopsoas is a muscle that consists of two parts, the muscle iliacus and the muscle psoas major. It belongs to the inner hip muscles and is the strongest flexor in the hip joint. It can also rotate the thigh outwards (external rotation).

If he is paralyzed on both sides, it is no longer possible to straighten the trunk from a lying position. Injuries to the iliopsoas muscle can therefore have a considerable impact on everyday life. Tendinitis of the iliopoas is explained in more detail below.

Tendinitis is the inflammation of a tendon, which often occurs in the context of degenerative changes. Degenerative changes are structural or functional changes of tissues (for example, of tendons or joints) that lead to a reduction in function. They also occur naturally during the aging process.

In general, patients complain of pain in the affected tendon and an increase in pain when the associated muscle contracts. In this case, this means that the flexion of the hip is painful. Pain is also found in the area of the lower lumbar spine, in the lower abdominal area and a certain stiffness of the hip is felt.

Since flexion of the hip is essential for many combined movements, it hurts to do sports, such as jogging or playing soccer. Lifting the knee also hurts. But what can you do about it?

The doctor can detect tendonitis quite easily by palpating the tendon and muscle. This is painful for the patient. Imaging procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging and sonography can depict the inflamed tendon, but are generally not necessary in everyday clinical practice for this case.

In extreme cases, arthroscopy can provide a reliable diagnosis. Regarding the therapy, the following should be said: There is the possibility of a drug treatment, but first and foremost, the protection of the affected tendon is the main priority. Sport should be avoided at first and excessive strain on the hip should be avoided as well!

This includes, for example, stretching and bending the hip (e.g. squatting and lifting heavy loads). In the first phase of acute inflammation, anti-inflammatory drugs are very suitable for pain relief. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used here.

They are used both locally (ointments) and orally in the form of tablets. Cool compresses can alleviate the symptoms in the first few days. However, they should never be applied directly to the skin.

Physiotherapeutic and physiotherapeutic exercises can then be performed gradually. The stretching of the tendon is in the foreground. Warming compression shorts can also help. The rehabilitation period can be as long as 2 months. If after 6 months the conservative therapy has not brought any success, an operation can be considered.