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

  • Yet more scientific evidence of the benefits of chair massage

    A number of studies have identified that nurses experience a range of symptoms indicative of work related stress including

    1. Headaches
    2. Shoulder tension
    3. Fatigue
    4. Muscle and joint pain
    All of which can lead to more long term problems or dissatisfaction at work, absenteeism or burn out. An study looked at the "feasibility of chair massage during the work hours of nurses in impatient and out patient settings and its effects on stress-related symptoms".   A total of 38 nurses received a weekly 15 minute chair massage treatment once a week for 10 weeks.  All the nurses were assessed prior to the study at 5 weeks and then at 10 weeks for
    • Overall quality of life
    • Self-perceived levels of stress
    • Anxiety
    • Symptoms relating to anxiety
    Scored produced by all four measurements showed that compared with prior to intervention, symptoms improved at 5 weeks and improved even further at 10 weeks, with the results were most noticeable in those nurses working longer hours (12 hour shifts).  92 percent of the nurses made positive comments in relation to
    • improvements in sleeping
    • reduction in pain, stress and tension
    • reduction in headaches
    78% reported that their overall job satisfaction had improved and 60% showed a willingness to pay for chair massages if they were made available at work. Researchers concluded that "offering chair massages for nurses during work hours, while challenging because of busy schedules reduced stress related symptoms significantly and was highly appreciated by the nurses." Book your chair massage now >> Book Now Reference Engen JE et al (2012) Feasibility and effect of chair massage offered to nurses during working hours on stress related symptoms: A pilot study.  Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 18(4): 221-22

  • Is reflexology or massage better at reducing stress or pain?

    While amongst my clients there is a clear preference for massage, I decided to investigate if there was any scientific evidence if massage was better than reflexology (or vice versa) at reducing pain and stress. In 2012 there was a small study comparing massage to reflexology on cancer survivors over the age of 75 living in a care home.  The study compared the effectiveness of 20 minutes of reflexology treatments against 20 minute Swedish massage by examining the impact on the patients stress levels, pain levels and mood.  Pre and post treatment levels of salivary cortisol, observed affect and pain were compared. Both reflexology and Swedish massage resulted in significant declines in salivary cortisol indicating a reduction in stress levels, reduced pain levels and improvements in mood.        So to go back to my original question, there is scientific evidence for both and I suggest you book the treatment you prefer. Hodgson N, Lafferty D (2012) Reflexology versus Swedish Massage to Reduce Physiologic Stress and Pain and Improve Mood in Nursing Home Residents with Cancer: A Pilot Trial. Evidence Based Complement Alternat Med. 2:456897               

  • Can aromatherapy help people combat depression?

    Nearly 20% of people in the UK experience symptoms of anxiey or depression in 2014 according the Mental Health Foundation. A systemic review of five medical databases has found evidence to support the effictiveness of aromatherapy for alleviating depressive symptoms.  A team of scientists at the Hong Kong Polytechnic Univeristy found 12 randomiased controlled trials involving a total of 1,226 participants - 984 were female and 224 male, with an average age of 47.  Two of the five inhalation studies and five of the eight massage trails reported improvements in subjects conditions, with the aromatherapy massage found to be more effective. So if you feel depressed why not try and aromatherapy massage. Note: Vitality Therapy do not offer aromatherapy massage. References

    Mental Health Foundation. (2016) Fundamental Facts About Mental Health 2016. London: Mental Health Foundation.
    Sánchez-Vidaña DI, Ngai SP, He W, Chow JK, Lau BW, Tsang HW. (2017) The effectiveness of aromatherapy for depressive symptoms: a systematic review. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine