Exercise for Sitka Back Pain Linked to the Iliopsoas Muscle

Ever think of your body in terms of the upper part and lower part? An interesting part – the iliopsoas muscle group – connects the spine with the lower extremities. Anatomy is quite remarkable! Everything is connected…and also impacted when there is pain. Your Sitka chiropractor is well aware of the anatomy of back pain and all the affected, connected parts. The chiropractic services at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka combine 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 have back pain, you may. The iliopsoas is actually a deep muscle group composed of the psoas major, psoas minor, and iliacus muscles. The iliopsoas muscle group links the spine to the lower extremities. Its pain may appear to come from the hip which makes it hard to determine whether it is the source of pain or not, but your Sitka chiropractor has a few special ways to figure that out! Being the main hip flexor, a well-functioning iliopsoas is essential. If it is tight or painful or injured, treatments and exercises may help. (1) Your chiropractor at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka can help verify the involvement of the iliopsoas and establish a treatment plan to treat it and its associated pain, like Sitka back pain.

THE ILIOPSOAS AND BACK PAIN

When suffering with back pain, sufferers want to try most anything to help! Chiropractic care helps, particularly the gentle Cox® Technic form of spinal manipulation which is part of a larger system of spinal pain management that integrates nutrition and exercise, too. An extensively used exercise method is the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) system. Chronic low back pain has been shown to benefit from it. A meta-analysis of 12 studies and 410 participants uncovered that PNF was more beneficial in relieving pain and improving waist function. It was also found to help pulmonary function! (2) Remember how everything is connected and the iliopsoas links the spine to 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 useful. Compared to another popular stretching technique, muscle energy technique, PNF was superior though both were remarkably effective for loosening the tight iliopsoas. (3) If the iliopsoas is entangled, we can go over an exercise to help the situation at your next appointment.

CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka

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 Sitka chiropractic appointment soon. If we discover that the iliopsoas is contributing to your back pain problem, we will connect and handle it!