Psoas – What is the psoas muscle?

psoas

What is the psoas muscle?

The psoas muscle (psoas major muscle, Latin for “large lumbar muscle”) is a skeletal muscle that connects the lumbar spine to the thighs. So the psoas leads diagonally from the back across the abdomen to the front of the thighs and thus forms the connector between the upper and lower body and is enormously important as a stabilizer of posture. Only along the pelvic bone can one feel the psoas musculature. The iliacus connects to the psoas muscle in the pelvic area, so that the iliopsoas arises here.

position

psoas

The anterior psoas muscle is attached to the side surfaces of the twelfth thoracic vertebra as well as to the first four lumbar vertebrae. This means that a deep-seated abdominal muscle can have a direct influence on our spine and also on potential afflications at the back and neck area.

The posterior part of the psoas comes from the costal processes of the first to fifth lumbar vertebrae.

Both muscles come together with the iliacus (muscle) from behind to the inside of the femur to which the other end of the muscle is attached.

The psoas muscle is mainly responsible for the mobility of the hip. He helps to move the legs forward as a “leg lifter” and is therefore significantly involved in running forward. This also applies especially for sports that have to do with running.

Are abdominal muscles responsible for my back afflications?

Low back pain does not inconclusively causes from the musculus erector spinae and gluteal attachments, also come up from behind, but may also be caused by the psoas muscle, also come up from the front.

In many people, the psoas muscles are strained by sedentary activities, stress and tension. So the tension has its cause in the muscles in the deep abdominal area, which are also responsible for lifting and moving the legs forward.

The psoas muscles are so-called involuntary muscles, which means that you can not consciously control their work. That means we can not consciously tense up or relax these muscles. Furthermore, they are not liable to pain, even if they are tense or shortened.

Due to the connection with the lumbar spine, the lower back muscles have to resist. The back muscles are often weaker than the psoas muscle. So that’s why the get tired faster. This then has the effect of back pain on both sides of the lumbar spine in the lower back.

Therefore, the relaxation of the psoas muscles is an important element to prevent back pain or allay back pain. For this the Flexo-Mag® was developed.

psoas - flexo-mag

Flexo-Mag® compact