photo credit, wikipedia.org
Many of you experience hip, low back, or glute pain that is intricately linked to various muscles, rather than what many might think of first — Did I slip a disc (disc herniation)? Is my back locked up (Facet Imbrication/Syndrome), Do I have a pinched nerve, or Sciatica? Please note that all of these conditions may co-exist with muscular disturbances, but it is important to understand that the muscles alone play a key role. After years treating patients with these complaints, I’ve become accustomed to finding patterns in muscles. I pay careful attention when I identify certain muscle groups showing up weak and others overcompensating, thus becoming tense. I also notice when the body lacks balance, or symmetry in muscle tone. These findings often include, or lead to further joint restrictions in the spine and/or extremities that impair normal range of motion and cause mild-severe dysfunction (pain, loss of sensation, inflammation, etc…).
The Psoas Major – The Biggest Drama Queen Muscles
I want to highlight one of the biggest Drama Queen muscles of them all: the psoas major. This muscle screams out for attention, begging to be heard, is rarely given credit for its faults and many of you have probably never even heard of it. The psoas major muscle plays an integral role in pain syndromes because of its location and how we move (or don’t move). The primary role of the psoas is to flex and externally rotate the thigh. In addition, this muscle originates at the transverse processes of T12-L5 and the lateral aspects of the discs between them. It inserts onto a small bony point on the femur (thigh) called the lesser trochanter.
This muscle is attached to your spine…no wonder you have back pain when the muscle is acting all wonky! It will literally pull on the discs and irritate those connections if it’s not functioning adequately. Sound uncomfortable? Yes, it is. The iliacus and psoas minor muscles also work synergistically. The antagonist muscle group for the psoas is the gluteus maximus, which I find to be weak in the majority of my patients*.
Muscle Weakness
Muscle weakness is often due to a sedentary lifestyle, or lack of balance between extension and flexion movements that one incorporates throughout the day. Just think about how much you sit, drive, hang out at the computer, or stay hunched over at meals, reading books, chilling out. All of these micro-movements add up compounding the stress and strain on your body.
So, what can you do? Google yourself silly, cry to a friend, become a fanatic yogi? Of course you are welcome to do all of those things, however, if you are experiencing pain, please get evaluated by a professional. Perhaps you assume it will go away, or think it’s not “that bad,” but I’ve found that these complaints often persist if not treated effectively.
Resolving Back Pain
I’ve included Dr. Christiane Northrup’s response to a reader’s question about this very topic for your review and to see how she resolved her own back pain by treating the psoas. Her instructions are similar to mine. As an FYI, most chiropractors are synonymous with neuromuscular therapists, but it depends on their background and training. As chiropractors, we specialize in all neuromuscular conditions, so we are often the natural first choice for most dealing with this issue. If this post resonates with you, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about possible treatment, or a consultation.
* Note: I also check for weak gluteus medius muscle that helps to stabilize the pelvis when you are standing on one leg. If one side of your pelvis drops when you are running, or in cadence, there can be a disruption somewhere in the sequence of synergistic/antagonistic muscle groups, as well as pelvic/sacral restrictions that need to be released in order to function properly.
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