You should already be familiar with with the Arch & Flatten, Back Lift, and Arch & Curl before learning the Iliopsoas Release.

THe iliopsoas muscle is an extremely important core muscle as it attaches to your lower back lumbar vertebrae as it is a deep muscle which we often do not feel nor know it exists as it’s difficult to palpate.

It’s functions within our core (somatic center) is important. There many links between the iliopsoas tightness and things such as digestive issues and even conections to the jaw (due to nervous system sensory motor amnesia). Very often releasing the tight psoas is an emotional process for many people and can cause emotions to rise up.

This muscle gets tight due to spending a lot of time sitting in a shortened state.

It flexes the hip, laterally rotates the hip and adducts the hip.

The most common condition of tight iliopsoas is actually back pain due to it compressing the vertebrae. It can cause muscular tension, pain, disc problems, sciatica and even spasms.

Tightness may even cause other conditions including scoliosis, core instability, limited lower back flexiblity, functional leg length discrepancy, hip pain and groin pain which can sometimes be mistaken for hernia’s.