Psoas Muscle Attachments
The psoas are deep muscles that run diagonally down the body, from the thoracic vertebrae 12 through the pelvis to the inside of the upper femur. We actually have two psoa, one on each side of the spine. Technically, the correct term when referring to both psoa is psoai, not psoas. I will use the term ‘psoas’ throughout the article to keep it simple, as that’s what most people commonly refer to it as. The psoas connects to 22 different structures in the body, primarily to the vertebrae and vertebral discs. The psoas has caused pain in my back, abdomen, and even my thigh and knee on occasion. My psoas was shortened due to past trauma, poor alignment, and years of sitting all day in school. Please read my article, ‘Why a Psoas Release Should Be Gentle.’
The lumbar plexus is a network of nerves and blood vessels. It runs through the layers of the psoas muscle. When the psoas is shortened, it can impact many areas. This includes the pelvic floor, legs, low back, spine, abdomen, internal organs, and diaphragm. It can even contribute to ovulation discomfort and nerve pain that runs down into the knee. The ovaries can double in size during ovulation. They are located very close to the psoas muscle. This is especially true when the uterus is tilted back and the psoas is already shortened. This can irritate the genitofemoral nerve (see image below), causing pain in the thigh and knee.
The Psoas Muscle & Emotions
Emotions affect the psoas as well—the psoas fires under the fight or flight response. We either curl into a ball or flee under this stress response, both of which require the psoas to fire into action. Imagine being under constant stress where you cannot escape, like deadlines, traffic, or negative emails. Your psoas muscle still gets signals to run away or fight, but we do not act on those feelings. The result is chronically shortened muscles and a frayed nervous system.
Psoas Health Tips
Some psoai releases are beneficial, but 30 minutes or even two hours of releases every day does not undo the other 12 hours of 90-degree hip flexion, rib thrusting, poor pelvic alignment, and chronic stress. Your body will remember whatever position you hold it in the longest.
1. Transition into wearing flexible flat shoes.
2. Reduce caffeine intake (and Bruce Willis films). Both of which stimulate the sympathetic nervous system.
3. Reciprocal arm swing- let your arms swing naturally while you walk if you aren’t carrying something. Women tend to hold their arms close to their bodies or keep their hands in their pockets while walking. The reciprocal arm swing keeps your torso steady so your psoas doesn’t have to twist your spine with every step.
4. Get a dynamic workstation if possible. And vary your position throughout the day.
5. Back your ass up and stop using your psoai as a seatbelt.
7. No one area works in isolation; that goes for the psoas as well. That’s why it’s essential to adopt a whole body approach.
Author: Barbara Horsley has more than 26 years of experience as a licensed massage therapist. She specializes in abdominal massage and Visceral Manipulation™ and is an NCBTMB-approved educator. In addition to being certified in abdominal massage, she also studied biomechanics and restorative exercise. She is also a Certified Women’s Herbal Educator and a graduate of the IWHI Perimenopause & Menopause Certificate Program.