The modern and sedentary lifestyle forces the vast majority of people to have a sitting position most of the day. For this reason, you may have felt pain and discomfort in the lumbar area and a feeling of tension in the lower part of the spine. Over time, the muscles end up suffering, especially the psoas: a muscle formed by the psoas and the iliacus, located between the abdominals and the femur, and which manages to keep the upper trunk united with the lower one.
Unlike other muscles, the psoas shortens when it is relaxed and lengthens when it works, so if we maintain the same posture for a long time, we can see it suffer. Luckily, there are several exercises you can do at home, with a simple stool and mat, that can significantly relieve pain. That is why are going to explain several exercises to learn how to stretch the psoas correctly and reduce discomfort. According To Adarsh Williams Psoas / Hip Flexor Stretch – Active Isolated Stretching
Table Of Content
1. Hip extension
2. Kick stretch
3. Psoas lunge
4. Elevated Knee Stretch
5. Mat Stretch
6. Pro retroversion stretch
Hip extension
What to do when you have psoas pain? One of the most effective exercises to relax and stretch the psoas is through hip extension. For it:
- Place yourself on a mat with your legs hip-width apart and one leg forward in a stride until your back knee is just a few fingers off the ground.
- With your forearms placed on the knee of your front leg, stretch your back knee and stay in this position for 30 seconds, noticing the stretch in your lower back.
- When finished, change the position of the legs and repeat the exercise.
kick stretch
Among the exercises to learn how to stretch the psoas correctly, you will find many of this type in which you will need a stool or low surface that you will place with your back to you.
- Stand on the mat with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms cupped at your sides.
- Bend one of your knees and raise the other backward giving a light kick and then end up supporting the instep of the foot on the stool.
- Hold this pose with your back straight for a few seconds and return to the starting position to switch sides.
psoas lunge
This type of stretch to stretch the iliopsoas is similar to the hip extension stretch but, on this occasion, you will take the opportunity to rest your entire back knee on the ground and place your hands on the sides of your waist:
- At the beginning of the stretch, place your front knee at a 90-degree angle and, as you stretch, it will bend forward, putting pressure on your lower back.
- In order to work both parts, after a few seconds on one side, change position to the other side.
Elevated Knee Stretch
If you still feel the muscle locked, pay attention to the instructions on how to stretch the psoas muscle in this exercise, where you will also need a chair or stool:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and bend one of your knees back , holding it with the hand on the same side.
- Once you are up, to avoid straining your lower back, place the weight of your knee on the chair or stool.
- To perform the stretch correctly, rotate your pelvis slightly away from your supporting knee. After about 20 seconds, return to the starting position and we will change sides.
Mat Stretch
If you want to know how to unlock the psoas, do this step-by-step stretch. In this case, do this exercise lying on your back on a mat:
- Bend your left knee and grab it with your hand under your right leg.
- While we do this, raise the right leg by bending the knee on our abdomen.
- With the help of the right hand, grab the right knee and try to bring it as close as possible to our trunk, noticing the stretch in the lower back and psoas.
- Hold 30 seconds in this position and switch sides.
Pro retroversion stretch
This stretch is based on the position and elevation of the hip and should be done in an upright position, do you want to learn how to stretch the psoas correctly? Pay attention to the last exercise:
- With a straight position, advance one of the legs and bend the knee while the arms remain at the sides in the shape of a cup and the back is straight.
- Keep your back leg slightly bent and, when it comes to stretching the psoas, you will begin to stretch it while you rotate your pelvis, trying to flatten your lower back and contracting your abdominals.
- Spend 20 seconds holding the pelvic position, return your hips to the original shape, and switch feet to deep stretch the other side.
Image: Myprotein
Now that you know how to stretch the psoas correctly, we recommend performing the following exercises:
If you want to read more articles similar to How to stretch the psoas