This showed up on my table twice last week, so I thought it must be time to talk about psoas (Pronounced so-as) and iliacus! (The combo often referred to as iliopsoas.)
These 2 muscles lift the knee in taking a step, so you can imagine how much they're used. They can also shorten if you sit for long periods of time. The psoas attaches along the lumbar spine, which is often where you'll feel pain if this muscle is tight, shortened, and needing some attention!
If I've ever worked on these muscles on you, you're probably wondered why I'm working within your belly area for your low back pain. But once you feel those specific muscles, you can probably tell how they relate to that pesky pain in your low back or hip.
I found this quick video that shows a few ways to stretch this area:
If you do yoga, there's several poses that target this area that can be helpful like half boat, low lunge, side angle, and more. If you're interested in some yoga classes, I highly recommend Centering Yoga on Columbia Ave. The studio is peaceful and beautiful, and the instructors are knowledgeable and welcoming!
Do you have some nagging low back pain that we haven't addressed in your massage sessions? Let me know and we can explore these muscles and see if there is a connection there for you.
RSS Feed