Dominic Stone
The psoas muscle is a long, thin ribbon-shaped muscle located deep in the body. There is one psoas muscle on either side of the spine, extending from the lower back to the top of the femur. The psoas muscle connects the upper body to the lower body, helping with posture and movement. It is one of the core muscles in the abdomen and plays a role in back health. Psoas injuries are rare but can cause lower back pain.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Shape | Long, ribbon-shaped |
| Length | Around 16 inches |
| Location | Lower back, pelvis, and groin |
| Function | Connects the upper body to the lower body, helps with posture, walking, and moving the hips and upper legs |
| Blood supply | Lumbar arteries from the aorta, renal arteries, common iliac artery, and deep circumflex iliac artery |
| Innervation | Lumbar spinal nerves L1-L4, femoral nerve |
| Muscle fibres | Anaerobic, fast oxidative (60%); aerobic, slow oxidative (40%) |
| Injuries | Rare but can occur, especially in athletes; Psoas syndrome is a rare condition that can cause pain and stiffness |
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What You'll Learn
The psoas muscle is a long, ribbon-shaped muscle in your back
The psoas muscle is a long, ribbon-shaped muscle located deep in the body on either side of the spine. It starts in the lower back, just below the ribs, and runs alongside the spine through the pelvis to the top of the femur (thigh bone). The psoas muscle is essential for maintaining a healthy posture and plays a crucial role in walking. It helps to create the curve of the lower spine, pulling the lumbar vertebrae forward and down, which enables us to stand and walk upright.
The psoas muscle is one of the core muscles in the abdomen and has a slightly triangular shape. It is wider and thicker at the bottom, where it connects to the hips, and thinner at the top in the lower back. The muscle is made up of thousands of tiny fibres that stretch and press together, allowing the psoas to move the lower back, hips, and legs. The psoas major muscle, in particular, combines with the iliacus muscle to form the iliopsoas muscle, which is involved in hip flexion and helps to stabilise the hip joint.
The psoas muscle has an important role in dynamic function and postural support. It acts as a front to back muscle due to its placement with various portions of fascial tissue as it descends through the pelvic cavity. The psoas receives blood from the lumbar arteries, branches of the renal arteries, the common iliac artery, and the deep circumflex iliac artery. It also receives small branches from the femoral nerve, which provides feeling in the thighs and quad muscles.
Psoas injuries are rare, but they can occur, especially in athletes whose sports involve a lot of force on the core or hips. Psoas syndrome is a rare condition that happens when the psoas is irritated, often without a known cause. It is important to visit a healthcare provider if you are experiencing lower back pain or stiffness that does not improve after a week, as the area around the spine, lower back, and hips is a complex network of muscles, nerves, and joints.
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It connects your upper body to your lower body
The psoas muscle is a long, thin ribbon-shaped muscle located deep within the body. There is one psoas muscle on either side of the spine, extending from the lower back to the groin, forming the iliopsoas muscle group with the iliacus muscles in the hip.
The psoas muscle is the main muscular connection between the upper body and the lower body. It joins the spine to the pelvis and the thigh bone (femur). The psoas muscle helps to create the curve of the lower spine, pulling the lumbar vertebrae forward and down. This helps to maintain a healthy posture and enables us to walk upright.
The psoas muscle is essential for correct sitting and standing lumbar posture, as well as hip joint stability. It helps to hold the torso upright and keeps the lower back stable when sitting, standing, walking, and running. The psoas muscle also works with other muscles to move the hips and upper legs. For example, it helps to pull the abdomen up from a prone position, such as during a sit-up.
The psoas muscle also plays a role in dynamic function and postural support. It acts as a hip flexor in both supine and standing positions. When standing, unilateral contraction of the psoas muscle will yield flexion of the lumbar spine, with side bending to the ipsilateral side and simultaneous contralateral rotation.
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It helps you maintain a healthy posture
The psoas muscle is a long, ribbon-shaped muscle located in the lower back, also known as the lumbar region. There is one psoas muscle on either side of the spine, connecting the upper body to the lower body. It starts in the lower back, just below the ribs, and runs alongside the spine through the pelvis to the top of the femur (thigh bone).
The psoas muscle plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy posture. Firstly, it helps to stabilise the lumbar spine, especially when sitting. This stabilisation occurs through its ability to hold the lower back still, preventing excessive movement that could compromise posture.
Secondly, the psoas muscle contributes to the natural curve of the lower spine, pulling the lumbar vertebrae forward and down. This curve is essential for bearing and transferring weight, allowing us to stand and walk upright. By creating this curve, the psoas muscle helps distribute the weight of the upper body over the hips and spine during movement, thus maintaining a balanced and healthy posture.
Additionally, the psoas muscle assists in flexing and moving the hips, which is vital for maintaining posture during standing, walking, and running. It acts as a hip flexor, helping to lift the upper leg towards the body when the body is static. This hip flexion is particularly important for stability and posture when transitioning from a lying or sitting position to a standing one.
Furthermore, the psoas muscle has a role in lateral motions, which help with balance and posture correction. Unilateral contraction of the psoas muscle on one side of the body yields flexion of the lumbar spine, resulting in side-bending towards the contracted side. This unilateral contraction assists in maintaining balance and making postural adjustments.
In summary, the psoas muscle is instrumental in maintaining a healthy posture through its ability to stabilise the lumbar spine, create the necessary curve in the lower spine for weight distribution, facilitate hip flexion and movement, and enable lateral motions for balance and posture correction.
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Psoas injuries are rare but can cause lower back pain
The psoas muscle is a long, thin ribbon-shaped muscle located deep in the body. It starts at the lower back and runs through the pelvis to the top of the femur (thigh bone). There is one psoas muscle on either side of the spine. These muscles are essential for correct sitting or standing lumbar posture and during walking and running. They work with other muscles to stabilise your posture and move your hips and upper legs.
Psoas injuries are rare because of their location deep inside the body. However, they can be irritated and cause psoas syndrome, a rare condition that causes lower back pain. Athletes whose sports put a lot of force on their cores or hips are more likely to experience psoas injuries. Psoas syndrome is often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed because it shares symptoms with other injuries or health conditions.
Psoas syndrome can cause pain in the lower back, hips, groin, or buttocks. It can also cause stiffness or tightness in the lower back. If you are experiencing these symptoms for more than a week, it is recommended that you visit a healthcare provider.
Psoas pain can be treated with rest and physical therapy, such as stretches or exercises. It is important to see a qualified doctor instead of attempting to self-diagnose the problem.
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The psoas major muscle combines with the iliacus muscle to form the iliopsoas muscle
The psoas muscle is a long, ribbon-shaped muscle located deep in the body on either side of the spine. It starts at the lower back, running through the pelvis to the top of the femur (thigh bone). The psoas muscle is essential for maintaining a healthy posture and plays a crucial role in walking.
The iliopsoas muscle is a significant contributor to hip flexion. It also assists with lateral motions and helps elevate the trunk from a supine position. The psoas muscle works in conjunction with the hip flexors to elevate the upper leg towards the body when static or pull the upper leg towards the body when dynamic.
The psoas muscle is a dynamic and static muscle that connects the upper and lower body. It functions as a "front to back" muscle due to its placement with various superior, medial, and inferior portions of fascial tissue as it passes through the pelvic cavity. The psoas muscle is essential for correct sitting and standing lumbar posture, hip joint stability, and during walking and running.
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Frequently asked questions
The psoas muscle is a long, ribbon-shaped muscle in your lower back (lumbar region). It’s one of the core muscles in your abdomen and is located deep in the body.
You have one psoas muscle on either side of your spine. They start in your lower back just below your ribs, run alongside your spine through your pelvis, and end in your groin near your hips at the top of your femur.
The psoas muscle helps connect your upper body to your lower body. It helps you move your lower back, hips, and upper legs. It also helps maintain a healthy posture and enables you to walk upright.
Psoas injuries are rare, but they can cause lower back pain. Psoas syndrome is a rare condition that occurs when the psoas is irritated or injured. It is often misdiagnosed and can be treated with physical therapy and pain relievers.
