Anatomy
The iliacus muscle is part of the group of muscles which flex and stabelise your hip and pelvis. It attaches at your ilium (the flat part of your hip bone) and extends down to the inside of the neck of the femur. It is also helps to rotate your hip inwards. There are two other muscles that also help to flex and stabilize your hip: iliopsoas major and iliopsoas minor.
Causes
There are multiple reasons why you are experiencing iliacus muscle pain. Common causes include:
- Over use/Tendonitis
- Strain/Injury
- Lack of flexibility
Overuse:
This may be more common amongst people who play sports that requires sprinting or kicking, as the hip flexors are required to repetitively pull the leg forward. If you are also completing these activities frequently, your iliacus muscles may have difficulty relaxing, as they are being used all the time. Tendonitis may also occur as a result of overuse. Tendonitis is when the tendon connecting the muscle to the bone becomes inflamed and can cause mild discomfort or severe pain.
Strain or Injury:
An acute injury from a sudden action either in sport or daily life can cause iliacus muscle pain. Examples can include kicking something with force, over-stretching the muscle (causing a strain) or experiencing external trauma to the muscle. Strains occur when the muscle fibers tear partially, can take a few weeks to heal and can be quite painful depending on the severity of the tear.
Lack of flexibility:
If you think about how much of the day you spend seated, you may find it adds up to quite a few hours. When you are seated your hips are in a flexed position. Although you may not be actively engaging your hips flexors, they are being used to stabelise your pelvis and help you to balance while you sit. Being in this flexed position regularly and for long periods of time can shorten your iliacus as there is little opportunity for it to be stretched.
These factors can also cause the muscle to go into spasm. An iliacus muscle spasm is when the muscle contracts involuntarily and does not release. The type of muscle spasm that is likely to result from overuse, injury or lack of flexibility is known as a chronic muscle spasm. Chronic muscle spasms occur gradually and get worse with time. It may be difficult to identify when the onset was also as there is not often a sudden occurrence of chronic muscle spasms.
Symptoms
Depending on the cause of your iliacus muscle pain, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Dull ache in the hip area
- Pain radiating into groin and thigh
- Pain deep inside the hip that is difficult to locate
- Sharp sudden pain in hip
- Tenderness and warm in his (in the case of a sprain or tear)
- Reduced range of motion on the hip
- Weakness in hip flexors
What else could it be?
Alternatively your pain could be due to reasons not associated with the iliacus muscle. It may be one of the following:
- Different types of arthritis and degeneration (this can cause inflammation of the hip joint, leading to pain)
- Bursitis
- A bursa is a fluid filled sack that surrounds joints and assists them to move smoothly. However they can become inflamed with overuse, causing pain
- Hernia
- A tear or weakness in the lining of the abdomen, where the organs and tissue bulge out. This can occur to both men and women and often present in the hip area
- Tightness in lower back and gluteal muscles
- Lower back muscles can refer pain into the hip, as can gluteal muscles
- Gluteus minimus is a small muscle attaching from your hip to you femur and externally rotates and extends the hips. This muscle also refers pain in the hip area.
If you have any concerns regarding arthritis, bursitis or a hernia, talk to your GP to see what diagnosis options are available to assess your pain.
Treatment:
If you suspect your pain is due to muscular reasons, there are conservative and effective treatment options available to get relief for your iliacus muscle pain.
Soft Tissue Occupational Therapy
Whether you are experiencing mild, moderate or severe iliacus muscle pain, appointing with a soft tissue occupational therapist will assist with treating the pain and tightness in your hip, as well as the surrounding structures. Soft tissue occupational therapists use hands on techniques to release muscle tension, promote healing, and increase strength and flexibility of muscles and joints. They work deep into the muscle tissue to allow better movement in your hip joint. A soft tissue occupational therapist will also provide and guidance on how to manage your iliacus muscle pain at home and prevent further pain.