The iliopsoas muscle is located in the front of your hip and works to flex your thigh up toward your abdomen. Tendonitis is inflammation to the tendon of a muscle, in this case the iliopsoas muscle, causing pain and loss of range of motion. Rehabilitation of iliopsoas tendonitis is designed to alleviate pain and swelling and return you back to your daily activities.
Hip Stretching
Normal hip range of motion is often reduced with ilipsoas tendonitis. Stretching the muscle will help return range of motion as well as reduce swelling and pain. Stretching the hip can be a bit awkward and should be done slowly so that you do not over-stretch. Kneel down on the leg that is affected by the tendonitis. Put your weight onto the front of your knee and lean into your front leg elongating your hip. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds and relax back onto your knee. Repeat two to three times, several times a day for best results.
Hip Strenghtening
Once range of motion has been restored, strengthening of the muscle can begin to restore strength. Since the ilipsoas flexes the hip, the best strengthening exercise for this muscle is to flex the hip. This can be done several ways. You can sit on a bench holding a weight on your thigh and lift your leg up, hold for two seconds, and repeat ten times. You can also use a standing hip machine where you lift the leg forward and lift the knee up toward the ceiling. Finally, you can use an elastic resistance band wrapped around the top of your foot. Holding it down with your other foot, lift your leg forward by lifting your knee up toward the ceiling. Repeat any exercise 10 to 15 times.
Walking
Walking is often affected by iliopsoas tendonitis. Trying to avoid pain, you may rotate your hips when you walk. Once you begin to rehab your hip, you may need to correct your walking gait back to what is normal for you. Practicing walking in front of a mirror can help you notice any discrepancies in your walking technique. You can also practice walking with an exaggerated gait, taking long, slow strides, to help you regain your normal walking stance.
