The lower back muscles are the more dominant muscles of
the back because of their ability to maintain posture, stability of the body,
and movement. There are two muscles of
the low back that cross over and act as one.
The psoas major and illacus, together form the muscle known as the
Iliopsoas. The purpose the Iliopsoas is
a deep muscle in the abdomen and along the iliac fossa. As a hip flexor, the illiopsoas plays a
crucial role in the posture of the spine, and helps with movement in the lower
lumbar spine, and an influential function of the lordosis (curve) of the spine.
An individual might experience the pain of the iliopsoas
syndrome if the following areas are experiencing acute or chronic pain: lower abdomen, groin, buttocks, thigh and
leg, hip, lower back, sacroiliac joint, across the top of the pelvic bond, and
stiffness and clicking in the hip region.
The cause of iliopsoas syndrome can be attributed to
repetitive hip motion, sitting too long
in the same stationery position, speed workouts associated with a runners
workout, shortened hip muscles, poor abdominal muscles, pronation, shortened
quadriceps muscles, and cycling.
This muscle lies deep in the back of the spine intertwined
between the S1 and L5. The difficulty of
working this muscle from a massage therapist standpoint begins with
understanding how to locate this muscle. As the therapist enters the point
where Ilacus and psoas meet, a slow insertion of pressure as well as an inward
motion toward the spine is important in relieving the client’s pain. Once the muscle is located, pressure should
be added to the point, then releasing for ease of the soft tissue. This type of manipulation will encourage the
management of this syndrome. Other
options are various stretches that open the constrained hips, lower back
stretches, and leg raises. Often rest,
massage, and stretching will help alleviate the pain caused by Iliopsoas
Syndrome.
