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The Surprising Secret To A Happier Low Back, Knees, Hips, Pelvic Floor & More!
Have you ever heard of your psoas muscles? For many people, the first time they hear the word psoas is when their massage therapist tells them that theirs are really tight. And that their tight psoas is probably related to their back pain. Or their hip pain. Or their knee pain. Or whatever.
Even though these muscles are deep and not well known, they’re kind of a big deal for your whole body wellness. So I’m here today to introduce you to these fascinating muscles and give you one of my absolute favourite exercises to help get them working at their best.
Where Are The Psoas Muscles?
The psoas muscles are a major part of the reason your legs are attached to the rest of you. They connect to your spine, at the bottom of your ribcage, and then descend down your back, attaching at multiple points – including the vertebral discs – along the way, until they pass through the pelvis and arrive at their final attachment on the femur bones – the big long bones of the thighs.
Here’s a picture:
(There are different opinions on what the psoas muscles are supposed to do in the body. Here’s a quick rundown).
So this is a big deal because attaching in so many places means that when the psoas muscles aren’t working right, they can mess you up in a whole lot of places.
What’s The Problem With A Tight Psoas?
Modern lives lead to short psoas muscles – sitting, standing with the pelvis forward, standing with the knees bent, high anxiety and stress levels (they’re part of the body’s trauma protection mechanism), common sports and fitness-related movement patterns and ‘good posture’ that involves rib thrusting.
Short, tight psoas muscles may contribute to back issues, knee problems, hip and SI joint pain, pregnancy and birth issues (learn more about that here), and digestive trouble.
Where you have an issue will depend on your individual movement patterns.
My own psoas muscles tend to operate primarily on my rib cage, making it hard for me to keep my ribs dropped (and my left is tighter than my right).
Other people will find that their psoas muscles pull their femurs forward into hip flexion – this can be one reason it’s hard to release your knee caps. And still others may find that their psoas muscles are causing them both to rib thrust and to hip flex. Only one thing is sure – if you’re a modern North American, you’re probably operating with a less-than-optimal psoas muscle arrangement.
How Can I Fix My Psoas?
In this case, stretching them alone won’t fix the problem – you need to release your psoas muscles.
What’s the difference between a stretch and a release? Think about clenching your hand into a fist, as tight as possible. Now, without letting go, imagine what would happen if you tried to stretch your fingers. You’d have a war, right? Between the clenching and the stretching. If you really want to stretch, first you have to release your fist so your fingers relax. Same thing here – before you can stretch, you must release. Boom.
Disclaimer – this is either the easiest or the hardest exercise you will ever do. If you find it incredibly hard to lie still long enough for this, if you feel like you’re not ‘doing’ anything, and if you feel like it’s a waste of time, then this is probably extra important for you, because you are probably just a touch Type A and so you need to take time for focused relaxation more than anyone else. Don’t worry – once you have released your psoa there are some good stretches waiting for you – plus your walking will be already a million times better – so your time will not be wasted and you’ll get to do some nice hardcore things soon.
Psoas Muscle Test
You’re going to start and finish with a test, so you can see what your own psoas muscles are up to. It’s easy. Starting sitting, with your feet straight out in front of you and hamstrings flat on the ground, you’ll slowly lower yourself backwards until you’re lying flat on the ground (use your arms for support, this is not a fancy ab workout).
As you descend, notice whether your thighs have lifted up off the ground. If so, notice how low your torso was when your legs lifted – this is your bolstering point.
See those lifted hamstrings? I’m going to back off (by sitting up again) until they’re kissing the floor and I’ll remember that height for my bolstering later.
Once I’ve made it all the way to the floor, I’m going to check in again with my hamstrings and now with my back as well. I’m checking for:
1) Are my hamstrings on the ground? They should be flat to the ground. If not, your tight psoas muscles are keeping you in hip flexion.
Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit too much here (hip flexion isn’t one of my issues) – but if your legs look even a little bit like this, with space under your thighs, then it’s a sign of hip flexion.
2) Is there a lot of space under my lower/mid-back (there should be about enough for a pencil – not for my whole hand to fit under). If so, your tight psoas muscles are contributing to your rib thrusting.
Look at that giant rib thrust. No wonder I have a sore back. If this is you, then learn to love the psoas release!
It is also possible that you might have rib thrusting andhip flexion at the same time:
Other things to check for:
3) Is the space even on both sides (on me, I have more of an arch under the left lower back than the right). If not, then you are tighter on one side than another. No illustration for this one, I’m afraid.
4) If my legs and lower back are all flat, what do my lower ribs feel like in the front? Are they poking out? Even a bit? If so, then your psoa are sneaky but they are still too tight.
So now you have a starting point. At the end of the release, you’ll redo the test and see if you notice any differences. It’s incredibly rewarding when you do!
The Wonderful, Delicious, Psoas Release
So the release is really quite simple.
All you’re going to do is find a bolster (best) or a firm cushion or rolled up sleeping back or whatever you have that will hold your head and shoulders up in the air.
How high? If your hamstrings came up off the ground, bolster yourself at the point where they rose up. If they didn’t, start by giving yourself 5-8 inches of bolstering and see how that works for you. You’re going to lie down with the bolster under your head and shoulders. The edge should be right around the bottom of the shoulder blades (the bra strap, the bro strap, or the spot where you’d wear a heart rate monitor).
There’s no real magic to it though – you should be well supported but your ribs should have enough room to relax down to the ground.
This is my starting position – bolster under shoulders, half dome under head, arms out to the side and externally rotated.
And that’s it.
Now you’re going to chill out here – without a podcast, television, audiobook, music or other form of entertainment (all of which can excite the psoas and make them hard to release).
You’re going to consciously think about the back of your body melting into the ground – but you’re not going to muscle it down, just allow it to get there naturally.
It can be helpful to put a nice warm heavy folded blanket onto your lower ribs. Rest there for 5-10 minutes or so – you can do more if you like, and you can also stay there until you actually notice your psoas muscles release completely (however for some of us this might take about a year, so if this is you, don’t fret, you’ll get there in time). Ideally, you’ll want to end up looking a bit like this:
Can you see how my lower ribs are now touching the ground?
But if not, don’t worry about it – you’re going to redo the test and notice if anything has changed. If your hamstrings are closer to the ground or if you have less arch in your back, then your psoas muscles have begun to release! If not, then be patient – this can take time, and you’ll get there eventually.
This is a great thing to do before bed – it’s very relaxing – but also before you go for a walk, since you want your psoas muscles nice and supple during gait.
Pretty much everyone needs this, on a daily basis! If you give it a go, let me know what you think! I used to hate having to lie there and do nothing, and now it is one of my favourites (and only takes about 2 minutes, as my psoas muscles are now well trained!)
I love this simple exercise and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below!
Hi! I’m Petra.
Lisa Braun on October 23, 2016 at 10:56 am
Although I have scoliosis and my psoas & sacroiliac joint & muscles were already a mess (chronic lower left back & hip pain), I recently pulled something in my lower left rib. For the first couple of days, it was just rib pain – specifically with deep breaths & movements (I found myself constantly bracing myself for every move). Then, a few days later, the rib pain subsided a little, but my HIPS went into EXTREME pain!!! I figured it was related – but your page & a couple of other helped bring my ideas to actuality. I completed the ten minute lesson you shared and it helped a lot! I didn’t notice any spaces under my legs or my lower back, but I was laying on my bed (doing the best I can do). However, it was SO RELAXING- and pain free!!! I will be doing it multiple times today – and definitely before bed. THANK YOU!!!!!
Petra on October 26, 2016 at 5:33 am
Hey Lisa – I’m so glad this helped you! Sometimes subtle and relaxing work is the best. Giant hugs and all the best to your in your journey!
kendra on December 26, 2017 at 6:01 pm
hamstrings down and ribs down. do have sciatic pain on right. any ideas?
David on November 24, 2016 at 6:07 pm
Love how you write, and I especially like an exercise that requires no patience on my part. Thanks so much!
Petra on November 28, 2016 at 1:34 pm
You’re so welcome, and thank you right back! This one is super fabulous!
Jessica on December 13, 2016 at 1:49 pm
Do you have any tips for a little psoas relaxing at work or somewhere where it’s not possible to do this? Or even just some ways to keep it a little more supple/ stretchy at work?
Petra on December 16, 2016 at 4:10 pm
Well, sitting less and taking more walking breaks would be my #1 piece of advice. But there’s actually a great little exercise I’d be happy to share with you – I’ll put up a blog post for you in January so stay tuned!
Maria Becker on January 23, 2017 at 1:40 am
Thank you SO much for the info! I need this! One question, is it a problem if your feet roll outward?
Petra on January 24, 2017 at 8:16 am
Nope, go ahead and allow them to relax wherever they want to go.
Donna on March 16, 2017 at 8:50 am
I think I accidentally found a tight psoas muscle when I had a bellyache for several days so I did self belly massage looking for my colon, but I found something lower which was prominent on one side and not the other, I thought maybe it was that inguinal ligament and wondered could it be an inguinal hernia that was not quite noticeable from the outside yet ? However then I remembered how bad my right knee has been feeling and I am wondering if the pain of my right knee correlates with whatever it is that I felt that is tight on my right side when looking for my ascending colon that day …
I would appreciate any information you care to share
Petra on March 20, 2017 at 2:18 pm
How intriguing! Did you try doing the test I outlined in this article to see how your ribcage was relating to your pelvis? That would be my first step to assess whether your psoas muscle is or was operating in a shortened position. They’re pretty short in most of us so it certainly could have contributed to what you noticed. You could try doing some of this release and see how you feel – that should give you some good information. Good luck and let me know if you find out anything interesting!
Laura on August 26, 2017 at 9:14 pm
What about if your hamstrings never really touch/relax onto the ground even when you’re sitting up? My legs are so tight that I struggle to sit at a 90º angle and when doing this test, my back started arching immediately.
I’ve tried doing standing stretches, but don’t feel like they do anything.
Petra on September 12, 2017 at 9:36 am
Hi Laura – that’s very common – not many people can actually get to 90 degrees at the hips. It’s hard to say exactly what will help in your case, but for most people it’s a combo of both stretching and strengthening, understanding how to actually use the hips to bend rather than the back, and changing their movement patterns so they spend less time in chairs. Here’s my go-to basic hamstring lengthener – but you definitely need to think big picture, not just one exercise. https://nutritiousmovement.com/forward-bend-modified/
Sue Harris on October 7, 2017 at 9:37 pm
Thank you for the information. I’ve had lower back pain for years but I did the test and everything was flat on the floor. So is there still benefit to relaxing the psoas muscle or would it be detrimental?
Petra on October 9, 2017 at 3:55 pm
Hmm. In some people the psoas can be involved in keeping the lower back very flat – it’s totally counterintuitive. Would you stay that when you stand up you have very little curve in your back? In general, I think it’s safe to experiment with this exercise. Give it a go for a short time, maybe a minute or two and see how it feels. If it hurts, it might not be ideal so move on. But if it feels good, try it for a bit longer the next time and then see how things go.
Becky on December 17, 2017 at 8:27 pm
Thank you for this article! I just found your website after being diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome – the dr told me he does not know of any local PTs who specialize in HMS. I do have a question for you – I did not have any space under my hamstrings when lying flat and I have a small space under my low back. However, when I tried the release I had a lot of pain and gripping in my SI joint, which is where I have had chronic pain for eight years! I think this is a good sign?? Eventually it did release! Are there other articles/stretches/ any other info that would help me? I have a long list of PT exercises I do three times a week to strengthen all those muscles. Thanks so much! Becky
Petra on December 28, 2017 at 9:20 am
The better you learn to move, the better you’ll be able to deal with your hypermobility. Slowing down, observing yourself, and moving mindfully is key. Katy Bowman’s diastasis recti book (which is really about creating a functional core) gives extra tips on hypermobility, so that might be a good resource for you.
kendra on January 11, 2018 at 5:17 pm
I I like this article and ho;e to ;las]
Deirdre on May 10, 2018 at 1:27 am
Great information! As I’m in Ireland I will never get to your classes. I am really interested in alignment patterns and compensation – can you point me to a good online or reading that will help me spot these problems more for my clients?
Petra on May 10, 2018 at 6:17 am
Hi Deirdre – It’s great stuff! My teacher, Katy Bowman, has a lot of online information – I’d suggest Katy Bowman’s book, Alignment Matters, or her Move Your DNA podcast, as a starting point. Her website, Nutritious Movement, as lots of info as well. And both she and I produce online classes – it’s really helpful to do the work yourself when helping others with it. I also share a lot of information and resources on my mailing list. I hope this helps and please get in touch again if I can help out further!
Carole on July 23, 2018 at 6:51 pm
Thank you for publishing this. I am working diligently with a chiropractor who has given me exercises to release my psoas muscles to help with an old ACL surgery/scar tissue/rehabilitation, but the results are slow. I have been using this passive exercise and have significantly reduced the amount of knee pain I have. I’ll add this into the mix of other exercises because it’s so easy and effective.
Petra on July 24, 2018 at 6:42 am
I’m so happy it’s been helpful for you. It’s one of my absolute favourites. Especially when you’re working to lengthen the psoas muscles, it’s really important to let go of held tension there first!
Amy B on June 17, 2019 at 12:08 am
Thank you for posting this. Questions: When I’m sitting in the upright position — even before slowly lowing myself — I have tightness in the lower back/sacrum area and have a hard time getting my legs to be flat/flush with the floor. 1) Can I assume this is a tight Psoas? 2) How do I release it, since I’m still in the upright position? Thank you for your help and info!!
Petra on June 17, 2019 at 4:40 pm
I wouldn’t assume this is your psoas, it could be a lot of things – I’d want to explore all your hamstring and hip flexor areas to see how they are moving. Then when you find limitations you can work to change them. For now my suggestion is just to notice what’s going on and then as you explore the world of movement you’ll start to put together a picture of what’s happening and what needs to change.
Amy B on June 17, 2019 at 9:29 pm
Thank you very much for responding, Petra. I know my hamstrings are tight. What can I do to “release” them? Also, how do I test my hip flexors? Here is what I experience — tightness in the sacrum area, which is dominant on the left side. (I’ve tried multiple things like chiropractic care, dry needling and various stretches, but nothing relaxes it long term). I also have a pulling sensation above both of my knees, which makes standing still very uncomfortable at times. Any guidance you can provide would be appreciated. Again, thank you, and I’m so glad I found your site!!
Petra on June 18, 2019 at 4:02 pm
There’s SO MUCH you can do! It’s hard to give you detailed advice without working with you directly (bodies are complicated!), but a good place to start would be to learn how to hinge at your hips, like in this video: https://youtu.be/CAtV2BaWRZ8 . The more time you spend with your hamstrings at their longest position, the more they’ll adapt to this. So for instance you could sit on a bolster on the floor with your pelvis in neutral and your legs outstretched in front of you, which will help you accumulate time with longer hamstrings. I’d also suggest joining my newsletter and my Facebook community (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1460038967412183/) because I share a lot of info through both those channels. You can learn a lot just from my newsletter and doing the free videos, and if those don’t work for you, I have online programs and do work one-one with some students.
Amy B on June 18, 2019 at 9:27 pm
Wow — thank you so much!! I’m going to try this. And thank you for directing me to your online/FB community. Much appreciation!!