Is stretching the psoas a good idea? What exercises should you do? If you want to know how to take care of it, read on, you're in the right place.
Tension in the hip, pain in the pelvis... What if it's your psoas that's acting up? What is the role of this muscle? How do you stretch it?
I am Juliette, journalist and sports coach. With the help of Cédric Vincent, physiotherapist and osteopath, we unravel the truth about this hip muscle.
The psoas is a muscle located in the pelvis. It begins at the lumbar vertebrae and ends at the lesser trochanter (top of the femur). It runs across the front of the pelvic bone. It is one of the main hip flexors. This muscle allows you to lift your leg forward, for example. When you walk, run, or kick a ball, you're using your psoas muscle!
Psoas pain is often on the anterior aspect of the hip (front) and can spread to the pubis.
These pains are common in sports that require a lot of hip extension. "Dancers, runners or soccer players, for example, but surprisingly most acute injuries seem to occur in sports with a change of direction," says Cédric Vincent.
When you suffer from pain in the psoas the best thing to do is: consult a health professional, doctor, physiotherapist or osteopath, who can make a diagnosis. When there is pain, often "you have to rebalance the force ratios in the pelvis and the hip," explains Cédric Vincent.
"A torn psoas is quite rare," says the physiotherapist. He also points out: "The inflammatory nature of these lesions is not systematic, the pain is more often mechanical."
If you suspect an injury, go and see a professional!
"We try to stretch the psoas in the case of hypo-extensibility," explains Cédric Vincent. If you have been diagnosed with a lack of flexibility in this area, stretching can help. Do not hesitate to consult a professional, as stretching is not always recommended in the treatment of certain tendon pathologies.
On the contrary, you may need to strengthen your psoas to increase its resistance capacity and decrease its reactivity to stress. In this case, Cédric Vincent advises "the mop method":
Basic position: Feet hip width apart, back straight, hands on hips. Place a cloth under your right foot.
Execution: Inhale and slide your foot backwards, bending your knees. Exhale and return to the starting position. Be sure to keep your abs engaged during the exercise. Repeat with the other leg.
⏱ For each exercise, start with 30 seconds of stretching. Create your own routine by picking your favourite movements. When you feel more comfortable, you can go up to 45 seconds or even a minute.
Starting position: On the floor, get into the kneeling lunge position, with your right foot flat in front and your left knee on the floor behind.
Execution: Inhale, place both hands on the floor with the pelvis tilted forward. Exhale, open your left arm towards the ceiling in a twist.
Make sure you keep your right knee and ankle in line. Do the same exercise with the left leg.
Starting position: Get into a lunge position with your right leg bent in front and your left leg straight behind.
Execution: Inhale, place both hands on the floor on the inside of your right knee. Exhale, try to place your elbows on the floor.
If the stretch is too intense you can place your arms on a yoga brick.
Repeat the exercise on the other side.
Starting position: Lie on your back.
Execution: Inhale, grasp your right knee. As you exhale, bring it closer to your chest, keeping your left leg straight and turning your pelvis back.
Make sure you keep your shoulders on the ground and your spine straight.
Repeat the stretch with the other leg.
Starting position: Lie down with your back on a table.
Execution: Inhale, grasp both knees and bring them to your chest. Exhale, move the right knee away from you to leave your foot in the air. The further away you move your knee, the more intense the stretch. Make sure you keep your shoulders on the table and your spine straight.
Repeat the stretch with the other leg.
Starting position: Lie on your stomach with your legs straight.
Execution: Inhale, place your bent arms on either side of your shoulders. Exhale, press down into your hands to lift your chest off the floor. Keep your shoulders low, your neck long, your elbows on the ground and close to your body. Keep the pelvis firmly rooted in the ground.
Depending on your ability, move your hands more or less forward. The closer your hands are to you, the more intense the stretch.
Starting position: Stand with your right leg in front and your left leg behind with your heel off the ground. Your hips and shoulders facing forward.
Execution: Inhale, place your hands on your hips. Exhale, invert your pelvis (you tilt it forward, pubis towards the ceiling). Make sure you keep your knees flexible and your body weight in the middle of both legs.
Then do the same on the other side.
Starting position: On the floor, get into the kneeling lunge position with your right leg forward.
Execution: Inhale, tilt your pelvis towards the sky while raising your left arm. Exhale, reach overhead, leaning towards your right side. Make sure you keep your shoulders low and your hips facing forward.
Repeat on the other side with your left leg forward, leaning to your left side.
You now have the key to setting up your stretching routine. While stretching the psoas can relieve some tension, remember that if you experience pain, you should seek medical advice!
A journalist and former classical dancer, I love pilates and stretching. I'm naturally inquisitive, so discovering new activities is second nature to me. My motto: caring & self-improvement.