Chronic psoas syndrome caused by the inappropriate use of a heel lift.

Heel lifts are commonly recommended for patients to manage the pain and discomfort of leg length discrepancies. However, used inappropriately, orthotics can create additional pain instead of alleviating it. In the case described, a 79-year-old male physician used a recommended heel lift for a perceived leg length discrepancy after right hip arthroplasty. Six months postsurgery, chronic, intractable pain developed in his hip and groin. He underwent a battery of tests to locate the pain, but its source remained elusive. Osteopathic evaluation and radiographic examination revealed an absence of leg length discrepancy and the presence of chronic psoas syndrome. Osteopathic manipulative treatment was prescribed and heel lift therapy discontinued, and the patient reported complete remission from pain.