PSOAS BLOG POST #1
6 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR PSOAS MUSCLE
The psoas major muscle is an easy target for blame when people talk about “tight” hips and low back pain.
If we could only fix this “tight” hip flexor, particularly by stretching it, all would be well.
Unfortunately, it’s just not that easy and the answer is probably more complex in most cases.
Nothing in the human body works as a solo operator, even the poor psoas, bearing the brunt of shame and blame for so many things.
The structure and function of the psoas major is disappointingly misunderstood.
Broad and generalized statements are often made in yoga and movement classes about the psoas as the primary hip flexor, the key to opening something or other up, the problem and reason someone is experiencing discomfort, movement issues, or low back pain.
For instance, yoga students are often cued to stretch the psoas as though this were a cure all for tightness in the hips or the pathway for increased backbending ability.
I’ve been guilty of this.
The psoas relationship, especially as a co-contractor and as part of a fascial link to many other structures in the human body, needs to be explored and understood.
So much of how we approach the psoas, whether to stretch it, stabilize it, stretch something else, or stabilize something else, has to do with what position we are in and what job the psoas has at that moment to help us in that position/action.
So let’s dissect the psoas and its involvement in movement just a little bit.
Here are 6 things to know and understand about your psoas.
- Geography of the Psoas Major
***The psoas major, deep within your abdominal cavity, originates (starts) from the front outer surfaces of 6 vertebral bodies on the right and left side of your spine from T12 – L5 (last thoracic vertebra to the last lumbar vertebra)
***It also attaches to the discs between the vertebrae in the lumbar spine
***It inserts or “ends” at a little bump of bone called the lesser trochanter high up on your inner thigh
- The psoas major is the only muscle that directly connects the spine with the lower extremity (your legs)
***The above statement should stop you in your tracks for a
moment. It’s really important!
***As the only muscle that directly connects the spine with the lower extremity, the psoas has a major role in stabilizing your spine, especially for posture and movement.
3. Relationship to many…
***The psoas is deeply tied in structure and function to interdependent relationships with the diaphragm, quadratus lumborum, lower fibers of the transversus abdominus, internal obliques, pelvic floor, glutes, tensor fascia latae, and sartorius.
***People! This is your breathing, lower back, core muscles, pelvic floor function, pelvic stabilization system, and hip movement!
***What I’d like you to grock is that the psoas is involved with many muscles and the fascial connection between these muscles to help with stability and mobility for movement patterns like breathing, squatting, walking, lunging, side bending, hip hinging, spinal extension, and spinal/pelvic stabilization.
4. It’s a bit of a tall tale that the main job of the psoas is hip flexion or the psoas is the primary hip flexor
I know, Gasp! Not the primary hip flexor????
***But go back to that statement about it being the only muscle that directly connects your spine to your legs – it’s got to have a much bigger role than helping to flex your hip. And trust me, it does.
***The legend of the psoas as the primary hip flexor probably developed because it’s difficult to study in live humans due to how deeply it lives in the abdominal/pelvic cavity. The most commonly accepted actions of the psoas are derived from cadaver studies – and cadavers don’t breathe and move on their own so the information gathered is limited and applicable to a body that can’t hold itself up.
5. The role of the psoas changes depending on what you are doing.
***The psoas, because of its structure and placement in the body, functions as different things depending on what you are asking your body to do.
***I can’t stress how important this is for all of us to understand, but for teachers and movement educators it is critical for designing movement curriculum and movement cuing.
6. Front hip tightness is often not related to short, tight, or overactive psoas major muscles.
GASP #2!!!!
***”But my yoga teacher, my personal trainer, my pilates teacher said…..” I know, I know. It will be ok. Let’s just breathe and be willing to view the psoas in a different light.
***Much of the tightness felt in the front of the hip is due to overactive tensor fascia latae and/or rectus femoris (quadricep). These are actually your two main hip flexors and they can often be found overworking to help stabilize the spine/pelvis, which, yes, can cause tightness at the front of the hip. AND…there are other structures that should be functioning more optimally to stabilize your pelvis and spine!
***The psoas typically shortens due to postural dysfunction ( butt tuckers and desk jockey alert!) or has shortened to compensate and protect the lumbar spine. This compensatory protection shortening often happens as a nervous system response to pain in the lower back or input from the peripheral nervous system that says “Alert! Human is trying to kill us”.
***Finding a balance between all the muscles working together for hip movement and relying more dramatically on the function of the global core is key to better posture, breathing, movement, and more. It’s just not as simple as stretching the psoas. Sorry, but that’s true.
SO NOW WHAT????
What should we do in terms of tightness at the front hip?
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this blog post coming soon to your online mailbox!
