| 60-80% of U.S. adults are affected by low back | | | | muscle of the body to link the spine to the legs. |
| pain at some time during their lives, and up to | | | | A healthy psoas is always released and ready for |
| 50% have back pain within any given year. Back | | | | movement. As part of your survival reflex your |
| symptoms are among the 10 leading reasons for | | | | psoas muscle prepares you to flee or flight. How |
| visiting an emergency room, hospital outpatient | | | | safe you feel at any given moment is reflected in |
| clinic, and physicians' office. Back problems are as | | | | the suppleness of your psoas. |
| common as the cold. And just like a cold they are | | | | Taking time to release the stress you accumulate |
| preventable. | | | | each day can go a long way in keeping your |
| A key to maintaining a healthy back and | | | | psoas supple, your spine flexible and your low |
| preventing back problems is learning to keep the | | | | back healthy. Take a leisurely walk, enjoy a |
| core muscle of the body, the PSOAS | | | | soothing bath with Epson salts or a few drops of |
| (pronounced so-as) released. Attaching directly to | | | | lavender essential oil and put your feet up. Check |
| the spine the psoas muscle plays a crucial role in | | | | out the shoes you wear. Are they comfortable, |
| low back care. The muscle works like the guy | | | | bendable (preferably in half) shoes that protect |
| wires of a circus tent. Just as guy wires help to | | | | your feet from the stress of cement, are wide |
| maintain the center pole, the psoas helps to | | | | and long enough for all your toes to move and |
| maintain spinal stability and prevent disc and nerve | | | | have no or low heels? |
| injuries. However when overused or misused the | | | | A great psoas release position to relax in is the |
| psoas can become constricted, eventually leading | | | | constructive rest position. A safe, comfortable |
| to increased muscular tension and reduced | | | | position it relieves low back, pelvic and hip tension |
| flexibility. | | | | by releasing the psoas muscle. Simply rest on |
| Tension in the psoas may be a direct expression | | | | your back. Knees bent and the feet placed |
| of the style of chair you sit in everyday, the | | | | parallel to each other, the width apart of the front |
| brand of shoes you wear on your feet, the | | | | of your hip sockets. Place your heels |
| variety of sports or fitness activities you engage | | | | approximately 12-16 inches away from your |
| in and/or the type of injuries you have acquired. | | | | buttocks. Do not push your lower back to the |
| Car accidents, falls and various accidents cause | | | | floor or tuck your pelvis just rest in the position |
| muscular/skeletal imbalances that invariably | | | | for 10 –20 minutes. As you do the psoas will |
| demand help from the psoas muscle. When not | | | | begin to release, the pelvis will spontaneously |
| properly healed injuries eventually cause muscular | | | | extend and the spine will lengthen. Keep your |
| compensations that can lead to a shortened and | | | | arms below shoulder height letting them rest over |
| dysfunctional psoas. | | | | your ribcage, to your sides or on your pelvis. If |
| Spanning from solar plexus to inner thigh the | | | | you prefer, place your lower legs at a right angle |
| psoas is your walking muscle. When in motion, the | | | | with both your lower leg and feet on an ottoman |
| movement of your psoas literally massages your | | | | or chair no higher than your hip sockets. Place |
| organs with every walking step. A multi-use | | | | your arms stretched out to the sides with your |
| muscle, the psoas moves through the abdominal | | | | hands palms down. In both of these positions |
| core from back to front creating a muscular shelf | | | | gravity releases the psoas, calming an over active |
| that supports the abdominal organs. Attaching to | | | | sympathetic nervous system while refreshing |
| each of the lumbar vertebrae and crossing over | | | | your whole being. |
| each hip socket the dynamic psoas is the only | | | | |