Psoas
About
The full name for the psoas muscles is iliopsoas because they also include the iliacus muscles that line the front the front of the hip. The psoas muscles themselves are hidden behind you abdominal muscles and your intestines. The psoas muscles attach to your vertebrae at the last rib level and continue down your pelvis. The psoas joins the iliacus in the groin and then attaches to the top of the femur.
The main action of this muscle is to flex the hip. They also contribute to helping you sit up from a laying down position. Trigger points in this muscle often cause pain in the lower back and the groin. This muscle can also contribute to gynaecological problems.
Psoas Major and Illiacus blend into 1 muscle forming Iliopsoas
Symptoms
Psoas trigger points create referred pain in the lower back on the same side of the body. The pain is generally orientated vertically unless both muscles are involved in which case the verticality may not be so apparent. When the pain is really bad it can extend up to the shoulders. Pain is also usually worse when standing. Sit-ups can become near impossible and even getting out of a chair can become incredibly difficult. In about half the population there is another muscle called the psoas minor which when it has trigger points present can cause pain in both the abdomen and genitals for both men and women. Tightness in this muscle can tilt the pelvis backward, eliminating the curve in the lower back. When trigger points are present in the psoas major muscle it tilts the pelvis forward, exaggerating the curve. Both of these muscles can also pull the mid-spine over to one side when only one side of muscles is involved, causing lateral scoliosis. Trigger points in the psoas muscles can also create disk problems in the spine as the shortened muscles keep continual pressure in the lumbar region.
If you experience lower back pain along with stiffness in your hips and groin in the morning, and sometimes find it hard to stand up straight, you most likely have trigger points in your psoas muscles.
Causes
The psoas muscle can be over stressed during a fall, by strenuous running or climbing, or by any exercises that uses many of the midsection muscles. Sit-ups can be a problem for psoas muscles already burdened with trigger points, however when trigger point free sit ups are actually great at strengthening the psoas muscle.
Sitting with your knees up is bad for your psoas muscles as this shortens them. A strained posture can also create problems for the psoas muscle. An upright and balanced posture does not require any extra effort from any muscles to maintain, however stooping or leaning
The psoas muscle can be over stressed during a fall, by strenuous running or climbing, or by any exercises that uses many of the midsection muscles. Sit-ups can be a problem for psoas muscles already burdened with trigger points, however when trigger point free sit ups are actually great at strengthening the psoas muscle.
Sitting with your knees up is bad for your psoas muscles as this shortens them. A strained posture can also create problems for the psoas muscle. An upright and balanced posture does not require any extra effort from any muscles to maintain, however stooping or leaning
