What’s The Cause Of Your Low Back Pain Part 1: Is It the Psoas?

Chronic low back pain is the leading cause of musculoskeletal-related injuries and disability throughout 160 different nations impacting over 500 million people. In this “Low Back Pain” series, you are going to be exposed to some of the most prevalent issues that could very likely be leading to your debilitating low back pain.

What is the Psoas Muscle?

The Psoas is composed of two different parts called the Psoas Major and the Psoas Minor. The origin of the muscles spans the lumbar vertebrae (particularly the transverse processes of T12- L5). The muscle then crosses the body towards the front of the pelvis before inserting onto the lesser trochanter of the femur (thigh bone).

Complications of the Psoas Muscle.

Over time this muscle can become irritated and fascial restrictions can begin to form. This can lead to a possible torsion. The videos below shows one of our clinicians being tested for a torsion in his psoas. As the second video video shows; when he begins to lift the thigh off of the table, we see that the opposite leg rotates internally causing the foot to go out to the side. Ideally, the foot should stay in a neutral position during this exercise, which is shown in the first video. This shows that he has a possible torsion of the left psoas (viewers right side) which can cause not only poor core stability but also lead to low back pain. This pain may even be chronic for month or even years.