Following your referral to Elite Physical therapy you will receive a thorough evaluation to test the strength and mobility of your iliopsoas muscle. This will also involve some questioning from your therapist regarding activities that may aggravate your symptoms or what types of activities relieve your symptoms. Following your evaluation you will be assigned a specific set of exercises to target the iliopsoas and surrounding musculature. If the iliopsoas muscle is too tight you may be asked to perform something called a Thomas stretch which will help improve the length of the muscle fibers and decrease tightness and restriction. If there is weakness present in the iliopsoas region you may be asked to perform strengthening exercises that focus on rebuilding strength and stability to the region. Some strengthening exercises that you may expect to perform are as follows:
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- Straight leg raises flexion
- Psoas marches
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Manual therapies may also be included in your physical therapy session. Manual therapies are hands on treatments performed by either a PT or a PTA and include such therapies as soft tissue mobilization and manual stretching. Soft tissue mobilization techniques are hands on treatments that target specific muscles in order to increase circulation and muscle length for reduced tightness and restriction. Manual stretching of the iliopsoas involves placing the hip joint in a specific position, particularly extension and applying overpressure into the tissue resistance. Manual stretching is extremely helpful at alleviating tight muscles.
Application of modalities may also be a useful approach in the treatment of iliopsoas injuries. Therapeutic ultrasound may be utilized to promote deep heat which can assist in increasing muscle length in tight and shortened muscles. Electrical stimulation may also be utilized to disrupt the pain signal coming from the muscle and a cold pack can be used in conjunction to decrease inflammation in the area.
If you are experiencing any kind of hip pain or back pain, contact us for a free consultation. To request an appointment, click here, or call directly to one of our three locations during regular business hours:
Cool Springs: 615-224-9810
Shelbyville: 931-684-0027
Spring Hill: 931-489-2022
Disclaimer: The information in this blog is intended to be informational only, and is not intended to be used in lieu of medical care. Consult a doctor or a physical therapist before attempting treatment on your own.
