[Closed] Anyone with a Psoas tightness problem?

I have, 2013 and then last year, tight jaggy pain deep in where the hip joins the body on the inside, both times turned into a burstitus and couldn't walk, serious pain, second time went a month, took 5/6 months to recover leg condition/symmetry.
My physio gave me leg exercises to recover but nothing for the actual problem, had anti inflammatories and pain killers for that, pain radiated down to the knee.
I now have hip mobility exercises which seem to help, basically just lying on your back and rotating each leg to its furthest/lowest angle, and some glute exercises because that strengthens your core or something and helps the hip, they seem to work for me, I get only a tightness where the burstitus was, right in where the hip joins the body on the inside, it's very localised.

I have a bad back too, not sure how related that is but the glutes help a lot there, with good core strength there is less pressure on your back sort of thing, not sure if any of this relates though, never had glute pain.

I think I might have, symptoms include low back pain and lots of pain in and around hips which I've never really gotten to the bottom of.

Most of the pain is now focussed at the top of the crest of each hip which is where the glute med connects. I know I need to work on glute med strength but just today looked up which muscles were antagonist to the glute med (e.g. which muscles is it constantly fighting against). Funnily enough it's the psoas, the adductors (inner leg) and to a lesser extent the rector femoris (quads).

Stretching of those muscles is obvious answer but I think it's becoming accepted that you can't really effectively stretch the psoas.

What you can do it try to use the principal of 'reciprocal inhibition' which means by working one muscle, the opposing muscles should relax or switch off as the body doesn't want to sets of muscles fighting one another. So for me this means working glute medius and just general glutes, which is basically every physio's advice ever for most low back and hip problems, but I can see why, it's just trying to undo years of sitting with psoas in a shortened position.

So do lots of glute bridge, clamshells, lying leg abductions etc. all the basic stuff. You can also do a psoas stretch by lying on a foam roller (under your hips) and pulling knees to chest or as far as you can. I just tried some now and they felt good so I'll probably throw a few in whenever I remember.

Lunge stretch with side extension will get the psoas and feels great. Whether it actually does much is I guess open to question as stretching is bollox by and large (if one had to generalise).

Some people swear by myofascial release on the psoas using a lacross ball or other similar implement - lying your hips on it and gently moving around until you hit the pressure point. I've heard it described as like an on-off switch, you know instantly when you're releasing it, but I've never experienced anything like that (done a lot of this stuff recently with a groin issue that I would love to resolve, but making little progress).

Once it's over your hips the psoas is pretty deep in your abdomen - I don't know how you would really get your hands on it there so to speak. Even trying to hit it with the roller / lacrosse ball you're only up at one end of it.

as stretching is bollox by and large

the psoas is pretty deep in your abdomen – I don’t know how you would really get your hands on it there

Yeah, I think this is why my physio swears by releasing muscles by working their antagonist, e.g. working glute max/glute med not only strengthens and activates two muscles which are usually very inactive, but also encourages tight psoas/hip flexors to release.

Same principle as clenching your butt if you're doing a lunge stretch, you're not clenching to push the stretch further, you're clenching to encourage the tight muscle to release more.

Some people swear by myofascial release on the psoas using a lacross ball or other similar implement – lying your hips on it and gently moving around until you hit the pressure point. I’ve heard it described as like an on-off switch, you know instantly when you’re releasing it

The physio did something like this for me to relieve radiating pain, massaging down the outside on the quad down the side of my leg, pretty much as you describe, it softened up then just sort of unlocked, radiating pain just switched off, I use a massage machine to it myself now and generally loosen up the quads, works a treat.

Another thing to look at is hamstrings, these can shorten and cause issues elsewhere, easy checked and fixed, just gently touching toes.

So for me this means working glute medius and just general glutes, which is basically every physio’s advice ever for most low back and hip problems, but I can see why,

I'm clearer on why I was given glute exercises after reading that.

The best for me was lie flat with a cushion or rolled up towel under the groin and do backward vertical leg lifts with the leg at 90 degrees, no idea what this does other than strengthen glutes but it has been my most effective exercise.

I'd recommend looking at squat universities (Dr Aaron Horschig) website and blog about hip impingement and glute activation exercises, I think it would help you.

I bought a psorite for this purpose. Painful thing 🙂

What works for you with the psorite @swedishmatt? I have one and don't really feel much benefit - possible that my psoas is fine but unlikely for a deskbound cyclist.

Thought it was a bit of a joke but my physio really rates it for pressure point work.

I popped to see the consultant for a follow up yesterday and he asked me to squeeze his hands between my knees. I pretty much could'nt. Hes told me i have to sort that out as there will be imbalances everywhere.

Having 20 years of this issues has left me with smaller calfs, hamstring, glutes etc so i guess i cant expect to function correctly until i regain some balance.

Garry_lager:

I don't use it that much, only once every few months for psoas. The trick is to only use one side and roll onto it while controlling the pressure. Using both ends of too difficult and overbearing.

I popped to see the consultant for a follow up yesterday and he asked me to squeeze his hands between my knees. I pretty much couldn't. Hes told me i have to sort that out as there will be imbalances everywhere.

They do love their muscle tests, my physio has me pushing his hands every which way trying to figure out where the imbalances and weaknesses are. I don't think it's a very exact science, although shortly after my first session I got some pretty severe cramps in some of the muscles he had tested (adductors, same as yours I think) so I guess maybe they are weak and not used to being used!

I've been having good results this week trying to put the 'reciprocal inhibition' theory into practice, so doing the cobra pose but being sure to 'tuck the tailbone' by clenching glutes and pulling front of pelvis in with the TVA. So long as I'm conscious of my low back muscles and 'breathe' them relaxed it seems to relieve the general low back grumbliness.

Also doing lots of super basic ab work e.g. the McGill 'Big 3' minus side planks (while my glute medius relaxes), basic planks and glute bridge variations.

I popped to see the consultant for a follow up yesterday and he asked me to squeeze his hands between my knees. I pretty much could’nt. Hes told me i have to sort that out as there will be imbalances everywhere.

Having 20 years of this issues has left me with smaller calfs, hamstring, glutes etc so i guess i cant expect to function correctly until i regain some balance.

You have work to do, but you will notice a difference all over as your body rebuilds muscles it forgot it had.

I don’t use it that much, only once every few months for psoas. The trick is to only use one side and roll onto it while controlling the pressure. Using both ends of too difficult and overbearing.

Thks Matt. I'm ok on both ends of it, gradually, just not getting much of a response.
It's quite a versatile tool - I get a mega response (ie sore AF) on the outside front quad muscles, think they're called the vaste lateral. Very tight for me, need to go very easy with the psorite.

Im certain of it. I have years of imbalances from the CAM deformity. 20 years ago i was doing a weird twerk manoeuvre at the bottom of a squat so and I've been more sporty as an adult than a child building up these imbalances.

The consultant was more confident of a full recovery to cycling but warned running is more likely to be an issue. That suits me.

I just want to know that im doing the correct exercises and getting the correct level of physio