Clinical Efficacy of Ultrasound-guided Iliopsoas Corticosteroid Injection for Hip Pain

Abstract

Introduction. Iliopsoas bursitis and tendinopathy are common causes of hip pain and major contributors to snapping hip syndrome, which affects 5-10% of the general population. These conditions are often treated with conservative measures, including corticosteroid injections into the iliopsoas bursa. However, the clinical effectiveness of such injections has not been well studied. Through this study, the authors evaluated the efficacy of ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injections into the iliopsoas bursa.

Methods. The study involved 68 patients diagnosed with iliopsoas tendinopathy, iliopsoas bursitis, or snapping hip syndrome (coxa saltans). The authors used a single-sample, nonexperimental design. Participants completed measures assessing pain, mechanical symptoms, physical function, activity level, and total hip score at baseline, 3-month, and 6-month post-injection. Data were collected from January 1, 2023, to April 1, 2024. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to assess changes in outcome measures.

Results. Participants showed significant improvements in pain, mechanical symptoms, physical function, and activity level at both 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. Additionally, overall hip scores improved statistically by the end of the study.

Conclusions. Our data suggest that ultrasound-guided iliopsoas bursa corticosteroid injections can be effective in improving physical function and ability to perform daily activities and engage in physical tasks and reduce the disability associated with iliopsoas tendinopathy. Further research with a longer follow-up period and more rigorous controls is warranted to confirm these findings and assess the long-term benefits and potential risks of the procedure.