Psoas Massage/Release for Lower Back Pain Relief

[Backhealer]

Thank you for the video. releasing psoas and illiacus is very important for proper lumbar function. It is also important to release the psoas off the 12th thoracic and 1st lumbar tranverse processes from the back. These releases create space for proper disc and facet functioning. I use the Backhealer ball to do this myself.

[jtlmbt]

Did you bother to release the abdominals or obliques first? That guy is in pain (his left hand is about to swat your hand away).

And sprottman is right - you were palpating the iliacus at first. That's what you felt when you had the guy flex his hip - the iliacus is the primary hip flexor.

[BeeryDorin]

that does work!but havnt relesed all my pain ,probably becuase im not expert or something

[sprottman]

In the first part of this vid you're not actually palpating the psoas, you're palpating the iliacus.

[Kalidasab]

@sprottman The iliacus is between the asis and the femur, I'm in the abdominal cavity here.

[Sahri21]

I CANNOT believe this is on the internet. This should NOT be done by anyone that has not been trained and should not be done on yourself.

[19grand]

@Sahri21 why not?

[tonyouwendyk]

your email capture for the free book doesn't work. It says my email address is invalid. tried 5 times. I don't suppose you look at these responses do you?

[babybunnies]

your website with info/info at the end of the address does not exist. Does your book eal with TOS or Fibromyalgia? Rib cage problems?

Look forward to your response.

[rvfkamikaze]

Hey Kalidasab,

Is this the type of thing i can perfrom on myself

(assuming i can locate the Psoas effectivley)

also when you get the patient to raise the leg, does the leg stay raised all the time or is this just to find the muscle?

[JamalTheTitan]

can you find this muscle if you're fat?

[windstorminator]

@JamalTheTitan yes u can, it may be a little harder to get to it, but it shouldn't hurt, think of it in this way, fat is just like adding something onto your body, like say u cut off the fat, its just handing from the area the skin would have been normally

[henrysinaga]

he's so smooth

[TachoSJ]

nice.. this is the way i learned how to do it. I've never seen it done while the client is prone

[js7un]

good camera angle

[bugsbbunny]

Cool, it works, better than stretching for me :)

[Kalidasab]

@bugsbbunny I have some great stretches for the psoas, but I agree, working it like this does a lot more.

[Kalidasab]

@Kalidasab That is important isn't it? It was my first try, guess I got lucky.

[tyciol]

The SelfAdjustingTechnique link works but the Back-In-Pain does not. I think the site got taken down?

[Jojocarlier1882ify]

pas bien de tout  joachim carlier

[bodrie4]

does this hurt? or feel wierd?

[Kalidasab]

@bodrie4 It can hurt if you go too deep or hold it too long. Usually feels good though.

[scghdg]

@Kalidasab thats what she said

[dreblack645]

@bodrie4 if your muscles r tight enough

[sprtsgirl]

Awesome video thanks.

[branislavc87]

I like the way you done in, I have seen some people do it while client is face down. My personal choice is face up I just do it a little different, I like to rotate the leg and off to the side of the table and if psoas releases you can feel it pop.

Thanks for the video.

[Kalidasab]

@branislavc87 Do you mean taking the leg down off to the side of the table? Good idea! There's a good stretch in there too if you help the leg back towards the head of the table.

[branislavc87]

@Kalidasab well what i do is i put pressure on psoas lift the leg up rotate it, making a full circle and then at the end i just drop the leg off to the side of the table and if it releases you can feel like a little pop. I had so many great feedbacks on it

[devaneym1]

assuming you are able to locate the psoas on your own and do the release what type of stretch should follow the release if any. I have tight psoas from doing a lot of sitting and i am a runner that has been experiencing si joint pain and hoprfully this will help

[Kalidasab]

@devaneym1 I would just work it like this on a fairly regular basis until you get some real release from it. Stretching will help, but it's just not as deep. Do you know some good stretches for it? Anything that feels good is probably good for it.

[rtjloco]

Hi. Do the abdominal muscles not get in the way with this? Is there a way to get round this? Thanks

[ashleedawniebird]

flex the knees.

:)

[Kalidasab]

No, you go right through them.

I was talking with my friend who showed me this, she says that she's been to a lot of massage therapists who say they work the psoas but don't actually get it. The real trick is lifting the leg to feel the muscle flex. You will know you have it that way.

[tyciol]

@Kalidasab Do you mean you apply pressure to the abdominals simultaneously (but that it transfers through because they are lengthened and relaxed) or do you somehow move the rectus abdominis and obliques aside and go through the spaces? That seems tricky.

[jw5927]

I'm having trouble finding the psoas. any advice?

[Kalidasab]

Try going a little deeper in to find it.

I will be making another couple of videos soon for two other places you can work the psoas. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks.

[MrTarab]

Thanks for sharing this. I tried this and it worked. I didnt realize that my back pain was due to my psoas and myofacial tissue. Best way to find the muscle is by lifting the leg as he demonstrates.

[Kalidasab]

I'm glad you like it. Soon I am going to do two more for different locations.

[MrTarab]

Kalidasab, once again, thanks for showing us this. I want to ask you, how often is one supposed to do this? How many times? Like you, I visited my chrio for a long time and wants to continue to see me. Shall i stop these visits and continue releasing my psoas? is this a permanent solution?

[Kalidasab]

It doesn't always come from the psoas, I am glad to hear that it helped you out though.

[Snowman374th]

@Kalidasab, I'm gonna try this out later, I'm in pain but not sure if this is why.

1. I can't seem to stand straight up, when first awake, Pinches lower back badly..

2. After I stretching some, I can, But I can't bend over standing up without it feeling as if I am breaking something. Hurts to twist, Mainly to my left. If I cough, It hurts my kidneys. Any suggestions.?

[kyleromero17]

does this help with inner hip pain? my hip hurts when i sit upright and move my leg inward. any thoughts?

[pkmntrainernik]

OMG Psoas work sucks sooooo bad.... it can be very uncomfortable on a lot of people so please becareful

[Kalidasab]

The psoas gets worked so seldom on most people that slow is usually the best way to go. I've worked with some really sensitive ones and they never complained. It really doesn't have to suck.

[redbone525]

While in massage school, my teacher noticed i was walking funny. he asked me if i was in pain. i told him i was about to die. right there in class, he put me on the table, put his thumb on my psoas and pushed. brought tears to my eyes. but DAMN! when he was done, the pain was GONE and i was CURED!  I have since had clients with the same problem in my own massage practice and performed this maneuver on them. they left pain free.

[Kalidasab]

Some practitioners can get away with this, I've known a few. But, I'm more the gentle type and have found that working slowly and without pain works, so I don't need to go deep like that, even if I'm sure it would work in a particular case. That's great that it works so well for you.

[freelove4u]

This is useful for Chronic Pelvic Pain

[Kalidasab]

In many cases it really is. Thanks for the reminder.

[redcrimson718]

oy my. gosh, thank you so much; this has been so helpful. i previously had moderate pain in my right hip if i sat or stood too long, but then i tried this and its gone

[Kalidasab]

It took several years for me to realize that the psoas can affect back an hip pain. Now I try it early with most clients that have this kind of pain. Really glad it worked for you.

[bryan072793]

i cant hear shit

[Kalidasab]

That happens with youtube sometimes. It worked for me, try it again. If it still doesn't work try with a different browser. If it still doesn't work for you, post here again and I'll give you an alternate site.

[TamBliss]

Hello,

When you have Anthony lift his right leg slightly to locate the psoas, is his leg straight or are his knees bent (as in the hook-lying position). It would be helpful to see his lower body position too.

Thanks!

Tamara

[Kalidasab]

Good question Tamara. The leg would be held straight. Thanks for asking!

[amchappell]

Thank you SO much for this helpful demonstration! Tight psoas on my right side is contributing to very mild scoliosis. I was able to do this technique on myself just now, and felt immediate release AND relief! As a distance runner and a busy mom, this is invaluable - thanks again.

[funk192]

does this help correct anterior pelvic tilt or worsen it, or none of the above?

[funk192]

never mind, I didn't now that this muscle is one of the hip flexors

[LeonardoNasir]

@funk192 does that mean that yes it does help correct anterior pelvic tilt? Because I have the exact same question. thanks

[Kalidasab]

This is a trigger point technique, it goes beyond the fascia. One guy (there's a comment above) was able to work his own.

I have a couple of great stretches for the psoas, and one that is assisted, but they aren't in the book. I'll see about making a video of the assisted one soon.

[trisoma1]

Are you "releasing" trigger points or fascia? Do you have any active or passive stretching included in the book?

[crystalsmuse]

Thank you so much for this video. I am a massage therapy student (in my clinical internship now) and just worked on my mom's iliopsoas. She was amazed that I "fixed" her after only ten minutes. As an afterthought I decided to look up some stretching and exercise techniques for her and found your video. :)

[Kalidasab]

Glad to be of help. It's amazing how many lower back issues can be helped with a psoas release. Keep up the good work, good massage therapists are often hard to find.

[nutty85]

u should make the new video Kalidasab. DO it!!

[Kalidasab]

It may take a few days, but I'll get on it asap. Thanks for letting me know about the link, it's fixed now. And, I added another link for a free book I just finished.

[Kalidasab]

Nutty 85, I've been really busy, but I'm going to try to do that video before too much longer.

[nutty85]

dude. im more surprised than u are. didnt think id be able to find the muscle. i tried the link but it doesnt work. man. ur good dude. thanks. :)

[nutty85]

the link doesnt work :)

[nutty85]

em wow!!! seriously. dude. this is awesome. i did it there now on myself and seriously. i felt the pain melt away. melt away. crazy. im so happy. not painful at all, i went slow but deep. Thanks. :)

[Kalidasab]

That's great, nutty85. I'm especially glad to hare that you were able to do it on yourself. It inspires me to make a video on how to work the lower attachment, where the psoas goes into the thigh.

[dgartner1]

You might want to consider having the client raise his/her knee to put the psoas in slack (contracted state) before you work on it. You can then hold down the psoas and have them do active releases by sliding their foot down the table, pushing out thru the heel, and then, while keeping the leg straight, rotating the whole leg out to the side (lateral edge of table). Better release; happier client!

[Kalidasab]

Excellent suggestion! Thanks. I had another similar suggestion, but your method works better for most massage therapists I think.

[avndez]

May i say that this is absolutely wonderful. My husband has one of the worst backs ever, and he has tried every single exercise and stretch previously. Thank you so much for your help. i wondered if you are able to help at all with releiving upper and mid back at all.

[EliteXtasy]

That looks so painful!

[Kalidasab]

Actually, it's not painful at all. I guess it could be if you were to go into it too fast and ignore the person being worked on. I never think of it as painful since I am committed to relieving pain rather than causing it.

The main thing is to go slow and work with the person so it doesn't hurt.

And, if the person jerks their leg up when you have pressure on the muscle, well you aren't supposed to let them do that either.

[23bkew]

This technique is right on the money, it is great for runners who get lower back pain. Depending on the client I use a similar approach accompanied by the client performing an active cycling movement with the leg being treated. It is really effective but is too invasive for some people. Sweet video, cheers.

[Kalidasab]

I can't wait to try this sometime. It does take time to get the psoas to open to deeper work, but it is so rewarding. Thanks for stopping by.

[Kalidasab]

Glad to help. I am going to be doing another one soon with a little more detail. Stay tuned.

[N952481]

I LOVE PSOAS WORK!!!! AWESOME!

[Kalidasab]

Oh yes, this is a very common way to find the psoas, taught in most massage schools. I learned it years ago from a friend who learned it at NHI.

[jmdigitalarts]

hmmmm....seems sketch?! has this been proven?