My self help guide for looking after your psoas

Given all my clients sit for prolonged periods of time as part of their job which can cause contraction of your psoas muscle.  It goes without saying that if you are having problems with your psoas muscle a massage can help, so please feel free to book.  Here is what you can do …

Strengthen Your Psoas Muscle

  1. Straight leg sit-up.
  2. Lying leg raise – lie on the back and raise your straight legs together into the air.

Stretch Your Psoas Muscle

  1. While kneeling extended hip & title pelvis posteriorly.
  2. While lying down (face up) on a bed extend your hip off the side of the bed and pull your other knee into your chest.

The Constructive Rest Position

The Constructive Rest Position (CRP) can relieve low back, pelvic and hip tension while it allows your entire body to come into neutral. Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor hip-width apart and parallel to each other.   Place your heels a comfortable distance from your buttocks – or about 16 inches away. Do not push your low back into the floor or tuck your pelvis. Rest your arms over your belly. Let gravity do the work. Doing this for 10 to 20 minutes every day will release tension in your psoas muscles and help to reestablish the neuro-biological rhythms that calm and refresh.

Related Posts

  • Muscle Soreness after exercise

    We all know that postural muscles get tired and that creates knots. But muscles also get tired after exercises, this is called DOMS - delayed onset muscle soreness. DOMS is characterised by a dull, aching pain in the affected muscle, often combined with tenderness and stiffness. The pain is typically felt only when the muscle is stretched, contracted or put under pressure, but otherwise the muscle feels fine. The soreness usually increases in intensity in the first 24 hours after exercise. It peaks from 24 to 72 hours, then subsides and disappears up to seven days after exercise. DOMS can be the reason why sporty people feel aches and pains when they are treated if they have recently been pushing themselves when exercising. Unfortunately stretching or warming up the muscles does not prevent DOMS but gradually increasing the intensity of the exercise does. If treatment is desired, any measure that increases blood flow to the muscle, such as hot baths, sauna or a massage may help.

  • What is the difference between sports and deep tissue massage?

    Deep tissue is a very descriptive name and is self-explanatory.  The confusion comes when it is compared to sports massage.  The big difference is the focus. Sports massage is dedicated to

    • improving sports performance
    • prevention of and treating sports injuries
    The reasons for booking a sports massage are:
    • You work out religiously, but aren't as relgious about stretching
    • You cycle or run to work and don't think to stretch
    • You play sports but don't cross train so have specific trouble spots
    • Your performance (in a particular sport) has dropped
    • You have a history of injuries and want to reduce the likely hood of further injuries
    Deep Tissue massage is a problem solving massage for everyone. The reasons for booking a deep tissue massage are:
    • You work at a computer all day and your neck, shoulders & back are chronically sore
    • You are so tense your back feels like concrete
    • You have tired achy legs
    • You are in pain
    • You are stiff (or are unable to move your neck/arm/leg freely)
    • You are stressed or anxious
    • You have a knot or a muscle spasm
    To book a treatment click here.  

  • How to prevent muscle cramps?

    I know previously I have discussed how to minimise the risk factors associate with muscle cramps including during pregnancy. Exercise Related Muscle Cramps May occur during, after or in some case many hours after vigorous activity.  In addition to minimising the risk factors I have previously documented you need to ensure you

    1. Don't exercise when injured - cramps can occur as a protective mechanism following an injury.
    2. Warm up thoroughly
    3. Stretch before and after exercise
    4. Cool down properly
    5. Don't over do it - their is a clear correlation between muscle fatigue and cramps.  In addition if you suddenly place a huge physical demand on the body (e.g. a late spurt to win the race) that it is not used to, your body can react by contracting all the muscle and creating cramps.  So remember to follow a suitable training program before entering that competition!
    Rest Cramps Night cramps and other rest cramps can often be prevented by regular stretching exercises particularly before going to bed.  The most common night cramps are in the calf muscles, to stretch this muscle
    1. Stand about 2 or 2.5 feet away from a wall.  Lean into the wall to place the forearms against the wall with the knees and back straight and the heels in contact with the floor. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds and repeat three times before going to bed.
    2. In bed while lying down, you can try flexing the ankle by pulling the toes up toward the head with the leg as straight as possible.