A Cranky Psoas Muscle

The Cause of Lower Back Pain

 

Sitting is the new smoking. “The American Cancer Society did a study that showed women that sat for more than six hours a day had a 37% increased risk of dying compared to those that sat for three hours a day.”

 

The psoas is the main muscle that is affected by so much sitting.  This muscle attaches to your lumbar (low back) spine and the inside of the front of your pelvis. When you sit for an extended period of time the psoas shortens and can sometimes have a tough time getting stretched back out. This can cause low back and leg pain.

 

To test if your psoas is shortened you can sit on the floor while hugging one knee to your chest. Next roll back on the floor. The leg that is straight should be fully lying on the floor. If it cannot, your psoas is tight. Test both sides.

 

Massage is excellent for a tight psoas muscle! Let your therapist know if you think yours is tight as this is a specialty technique that would not normally get added into a full body.

 

The inspiration came from this article