04/11/2025
💥 Is Your Hip Snapping? Let's Talk About the Iliopsoas! 💥
That deep, nagging pain in the front of your hip or groin isn’t always a simple muscle strain. If it flares up when you lift your knee or stand up after sitting, you might be dealing with Iliopsoas Tendinopathy — or what’s often called “internal hip snapping syndrome.”
Understanding this issue is the first step to finally getting relief!
🔎 The Who, What, When & Why of Iliopsoas Tendinopathy
What is it?
It’s irritation, inflammation, or degeneration of the iliopsoas tendon, which connects your main hip flexor muscles — the iliacus and psoas — deep within your core. This muscle group is essential for lifting your leg and stabilising your spine.
Why does it occur?
It’s primarily an overuse injury caused by repetitive friction as the tendon rubs over the bone at the front of the hip joint, leading to microtrauma and inflammation.
Who is most at risk?
Athletes: Runners (especially long-distance), dancers, gymnasts, martial artists, and soccer players.
Anyone with poor core strength or weak glutes, leading to imbalance in hip stabilisation.
People who sit for long hours, causing shortening and tightness in the hip flexors.
When do you feel it?
Pain is typically felt deep in the front of the hip or groin crease and can worsen with:
✨️Lifting your knee (active hip flexion).
✨️Climbing stairs or hills.
✨️Sitting for long periods, then standing up.
✨️Sometimes, a clicking or snapping sensation in the hip.
Bonus symptom: You may also experience a click in the knee, often on the lateral (outer) side. This happens because tight hip flexors and iliotibial (IT) band tension can pull on the knee joint and alter alignment — another sign your hip mechanics are off balance!
💼 Jobs Affected by Iliopsoas Issues
This condition often affects people in roles that involve two extremes — long sitting or highly repetitive leg movements.
🖥Postural Strain Roles:
Office/Desk Workers: Prolonged sitting keeps the muscle shortened and tight.
🚚Truck Drivers: Hours in a fixed seated position, often with hip flexion and clutch use.
🚚Long-Haul Drivers: Constant hip flexion, little chance for extension.
Repetitive Movement Roles:
👩🌾👩🍳Tradespeople (Roofers, Carpenters): Frequent stair climbing, squatting, and bending.
👩🦰👩👨🦱Hairdressers/Tattoo Artists: Standing in anterior pelvic tilt for long periods.
👩⚕️🏥Nurses/Carers: Repetitive lifting, bending, and patient transfers — overloading hip flexors.
👐 How Massage Provides the BEST Solution
While rest is important, rest alone won’t fix the underlying stiffness or muscle imbalance that caused the issue. This is where specialised massage therapy shines — and different massage types each play a key role in recovery.
💪 Remedial Massage (Targeted Clinical Approach)
Remedial massage is the gold standard for addressing Iliopsoas Tendinopathy. It combines assessment, targeted treatment, and corrective techniques to restore muscle balance and reduce inflammation.
- Releases deep restrictions in the iliopsoas, hip flexors, glutes, and lower back.
- Corrects muscle imbalances by strengthening underused stabilisers.
- Improves blood flow to enhance tendon repair.
🧠 Deep Tissue Massage (Structural Release)
Deep tissue techniques use slow, firm pressure to release chronic tension and adhesions in the deeper layers of muscle and fascia.
- Ideal for clients with long-term tightness or stiffness.
- Targets the hip flexors, glutes, TFL, hamstrings, and lumbar erectors.
- Helps deactivate trigger points that refer pain to the hip, groin, or knee.
🌿 Swedish Relaxation Massage (Nervous System Reset)
Sometimes the iliopsoas remains tight due to nervous system overactivity from chronic stress or fatigue. Swedish massage promotes relaxation and encourages natural muscle release.
- Improves circulation and lymphatic drainage.
- Reduces overall tension and enhances range of motion.
- Complements remedial or deep tissue sessions by calming the body and allowing deeper healing.
Each approach supports the body differently, and combining them creates a well-rounded plan for lasting relief and restored mobility.
🏡 Home Remedies & Maintenance
Pair your professional sessions with at-home care for long-term results!
(Always consult a qualified medical professional or physical therapist before starting new exercises.)
Simple Home Remedies:
Ice Pack: Apply for 10–15 mins, 2–3 times daily (front of hip/groin).
Activity Modification: Reduce or avoid high-impact movements that trigger pain.
Stretches & Exercises:
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch (Lunge Position):
Kneel on one knee (side to stretch), tuck your tailbone, lean forward gently.
Hold for 30 seconds, repeat 3 times per side.
Gentle Glute Bridge:
Lie on your back, knees bent, lift hips, squeeze glutes.
Hold for 5 seconds, lower slowly — strengthens glutes to offload the hip flexors.
✨ Don’t wait for it to become a chronic issue — addressing muscle tension and postural imbalance now can prevent months of pain and stiffness.
➡️ BOOK a Remedial, Deep Tissue, or Swedish Massage session today to target your Iliopsoas, restore balance, and move freely again.
P.S. 💬 Know someone who sits all day or works on their feet and complains of hip or knee pain?
Tag or share this post — let’s help them feel better and get back to moving comfortably!
