Exercise for Vancouver Back Pain Linked to the Iliopsoas Muscle

August 22, 2023

Ever think of your body in terms of the upper part and lower part? An interesting part – the iliopsoas muscle group – attaches the spine with the lower extremities. Anatomy is really cool! Everything is connected…and also affected when there’s pain. Your Vancouver chiropractor knows well the anatomy of back pain and all the affected, connected parts. The chiropractic services at Vancouver Disc Centers mix to help you control the pain and get back to your daily activities.

THE ILIOPSOAS MUSCLE

Can you locate your iliopsoas muscle? Know its function? If you suffer with back pain, you may. The iliopsoas is really a deep muscle group composed of the psoas major, psoas minor, and iliacus muscles. The iliopsoas muscle group connects the spine to the lower extremities. Its pain may appear to come from the hip which makes it hard to figure out whether it is the source of pain or not, but your Vancouver chiropractor has a few special ways to figure that out! Being the main hip flexor, a properly functioning iliopsoas is important. If it’s tight or painful or hurt, treatments and exercises may help. (1) Your chiropractor at Vancouver Disc Centers can help determine the involvement of the iliopsoas and set up a treatment plan to treat it and its affiliated pain, like Vancouver back pain.

THE ILIOPSOAS AND BACK PAIN

When suffering with back pain, sufferers want to try most anything to help! Chiropractic care helps, especially the gentle Cox® Technic form of spinal manipulation which is part of a larger system of spinal pain management that features nutrition and exercise, too. A widely used exercise method is the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) system. Chronic low back pain has been documented to benefit from it. A meta-analysis of 12 studies and 410 participants revealed that PNF was more beneficial in relieving pain and improving waist function. It was also observed to help pulmonary function! (2) Remember how everything is connected and the iliopsoas connects the spine with the lower extremities? One mechanical factor that back pain sufferers share is often altered pelvic tilting. A tight iliopsoas muscle is often the source for which PNF is beneficial. Compared to another popular stretching technique, muscle energy technique, PNF proved superior though both were remarkably effective for loosening the tight iliopsoas. (3) If the iliopsoas is involved, we can review an exercise that can help at your next appointment.

CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr.  Nike Taylor on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she describes the treatment of chronic back pain with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Make your Vancouver chiropractic appointment today. If we discover that the iliopsoas is contributing to your back pain issue, we’ll connect and manage it!

Vancouver Back Pain and Iliopsoas Muscle Link