The iliac muscle is part of the iliopsoas group, important for hip movement and flexion. Sedentary lifestyles and improper exercise can weaken or tighten these muscles, leading to poor back support and injury. Treatment includes physical therapy and exercises. Some people may have an extra muscle, the iliacus minor.
The iliac is a flat, triangular muscle that covers the inner curve of the major bone, or iliac fossa. It is part of the inner hip muscle group, called the iliopsoas or “IlioPsoas”. In humans, the iliopsoas group of muscle tissue is important for standing, walking, running, and hip rotation or “hip flexion.” Of the five muscles that contribute to hip flexion, the iliac is the only one attached to the pelvis; therefore, it plays an important role in controlling the hip joint and is important for forward leg flexion.
The iliopsoas is a grouping of three muscles: iliac, psoas major, and psoas minor. Usually people refer to this group as the “dorsal hip muscles” or “inner hip muscles.” The iliacus lies behind the psoas major. It begins at the upper two-thirds of the iliac fossa and the inner edge of the curved ridge at the top of the pelvic bone, or iliac crest. It joins the psoas major, continues downward, and attaches to the lesser trochanter of the superior femur.
This attachment between the hip bone and the leg bone is an important part of hip movement. Hip flexion uses five muscles: the tensor fascia latae, rectus femoris, sartorius, psoas major, and iliacus. Of these five muscles, only the psoas and iliacus are capable of lifting the upper leg up to the torso, which is often needed in sports, exercise, and dance.
Sedentary lifestyles often weaken these muscles or cause them to tighten and become inflexible. Sometimes runners who don’t start with warm-up exercises or run improperly may have weak or tight iliopsoas hip flexors as well. Typically, weak iliopsoas muscles offer poor back support, and tight muscles can cause the pelvis to tilt forward, creating a rocking position.
About five percent of soccer players injure this muscle, as it controls hip motion as the player twists their hips during kicks. Other activities that are ripe for these injuries include bending, jumping, running and squatting. Most injured players have tendonitis, bursitis, or muscle tears. Typically, physical therapy includes exercises such as supine knee bends, Pilate exercises, and various stretches. Usually, surgical treatment is rare.
Sometimes, medical professionals such as physical therapists and doctors describe ileus as “complex” and refer to it as “the hidden prankster.” For example, just as only about 40 percent of people have the psoas minor muscle, some people have an extra muscle — the iliacus minor, or iliocapsularis. This muscle is a small, separate part of the larger muscle.
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