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

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 often are 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.

The study included 68 patients diagnosed with iliopsoas tendinopathy, iliopsoas bursitis, or snapping hip syndrome (coxa saltans), all of whom received corticosteroid injections into the iliopsoas bursa as a standard treatment. A single-sample, non-experimental design was employed, with participants completing assessments of pain, mechanical symptoms, physical function, activity level, and total hip score at baseline, and again at three- and six-month post-injection. Data were collected from January 1, 2023, to April 1, 2024, and changes in the outcome measures were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA.

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

Our data suggest that ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injections into the iliopsoas bursa can effectively improve physical function, enhance the ability to perform daily activities and physical tasks, and reduce 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.