The biggest factor in back and hip pain is the psoas muscle. The number of problems caused by the psoas is quite astonishing. These include: low back pain, sacroiliac pain, sciatica, disc problems, spondylolysis, scoliosis, hip degeneration, knee pain, menstruation pain, infertility, and digestive problems. The list can also include biomechanical problems like pelvic tilt, leg length discrepancies, kyphosis, and lumbar lordosis.

What is the psoas?

The psoas (pronounced “so - oz”) primarily flexes the hip and the spinal column. At about 16 inches long on the average, it is one of the largest and thickest muscles of the body (in animals it’s known as the tenderloin). This powerful muscle runs down the lower mid spine beginning at the 12th thoracic vertebrae connecting to all the vertebral bodies, discs and transverse processes of all the lumbar vertebrae down across the pelvis to attach on the inside of the top of the leg at the lesser trochanter. The lower portion combines with fibers from the iliacus muscle, which sits inside the surface of the pelvis and sacrum, to become the Iliopsoas muscle as it curves over the pubic bone and inserts on the lesser trochanter.

What is the function of the psoas?

This has a number of diverse functions making it a key factor in health. The psoas as a hip and thigh flexor is the major walking muscle. If the legs are stationary the action of it is a bend the spine forward; if sitting it stabilizes and balances the trunk. The lower psoas brings the lumbar vertebrae forward and downward to create pelvic tilt.

When we think of smooth, elegant and graceful movement in dancers and athletes we are looking at the psoas functioning at it optimum. It requires that the psoas maintain the pelvis in a dynamically neutral orientation that can move easily and retain structural integrity. This creates positions of the spine that require the least muscular effort.

What are the common pain symptoms of the psoas?

When the muscle becomes contracted due to injuries, poor posture, prolonged sitting, or stress, it can alter the biomechanics of the pelvis and the lumbar, thoracic and even cervical vertebrae. Typically a dysfunctional is responsible for referred pain down the front of the thigh and vertically along the lower to mid spinal column. Trigger points are found above the path of the psoas on the abdomen. Frequently the quadratus lumborum muscles develop trigger point, as well as the piriformis, gluteals, hamstrings, and erector spinae.

It can torque your spine to the right or left, pull it forward and twist the pelvis into various distortions. Frequently one psoas will shorten and pull the spine and/or pelvis to our dominant side. The distortions of the spine and pelvis can also show up as a short or long leg. This all results in scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis, trigger points, and spasms in back muscles trying to resist the pulling of the psoas.

It can pull the spine downward, compressing the facet joints and the intervertebral discs of the lumbar spine. The pressure can cause the discs to degenerate, becoming thinner and less flexible. This degeneration makes the discs more susceptible to bulging or tearing, especially with twisting and bending movements.

What keeps the psoas in contraction?

The psoas will stay contracted because of postural habits and trauma. The way we stand, walk and sit can distort the psoas. If we walk or stand with our chin in an overly forward position the muscle will tighten. Sitting through much of the day it shortens to keep us bio mechanically balanced in our chairs. Over time we develop a “normal” way of holding the psoas that is dysfunctional.

Unresolved trauma can keep the psoas short and reactive. This is a primary muscle in flight, fight, freeze or fear responses to danger. When survival is at stake, it propels the body to hit the ground running. When startled, it ignites preparation of the extensor muscles to reach out (grab hold) or run. Until the psoas is released the muscle may stay contracted and go into further shortening and spasm very easily.

Do you know that there are some herbs that can be used to treat back pains? Of course there are and this article will show you three of the very powerfully effective herbs that are often used in helping to relief back pain in people. The use of these herbs is as a result of the research work carried out by Joel Gagnier, ND, who works with the Provincial Medical Center in Windsor, Ontario Canada.

The research work was conducted on 1,567 adults that were suffering from chronic back pain. The study revealed the following facts when the herbs were administered on the patients.

? White Willow Bark - Many of the patients that were administered with some doses of this herb had their back pains alleviated. This herb contains “Salicin”, an active ingredient that helps to dull pains in the back. The dosages to be administered on the patients include a daily oral dose of 240 milligrams.

? Devil’s claw - In the study, a maximum of 100 milligrams of this herb were administered on those patients that had back pain. It was discovered that their conditions were alleviated. This herb really worked more than the use of placebos.

? Cayenne - Still on the research conducted by Gagnier and his colleagues, the herb cayenne was used as a kind of topical medication on the skin surface. It was applied to the skin like a kind of plaster just as you will do with a homeopathic gel. Later findings revealed that these plasters applied on the back of the skin of the individuals gave them relief.

These herbs: white willow bark, Devil’s claw, and Cayenne are really useful for patients in the relief of back pain. However, there are still other herbal treatments that will help you give you relief from your back pain with ease. You can make a search online for them.

Also, ensure that you know of the side effects of treating your back pain with herbs of any kind. Your physician should be aware of which of these you are taking or combining with other medications.

It is important that you adopt preventive measures when dealing with back pain. Yes, you should try and prevent his condition instead of trying to treat it when you start experiencing it. Preventive measures will save you the discomforts pains and resources of treating back trouble in the future. Here are some things you can do to prevent back type of pain in your life.

The first thing you will need to do in order to prevent back pain is to maintain correct postures at all time. Yes, there are correct postures to lift items, sleep stand or even sit. You should consciously monitor how you position your body so that the muscles of the back would not be stained.

Thus, when standing, sitting, sleeping or lifting an object from the ground, you should try and maintain the correct posture. You can consult a physiotherapist to teach you these postures.

The second thing you have to do is to change your lifestyles. Yes, this is very important especially when your lifestyle leads to overweight. Too much weight on the body puts strain on the back muscles and you need to shed the excess fats in order to avoid back pain. Changes you have to do are to start engaging your body in exercises, eating diets that contain less amount of cholesterol, and avoiding smoking.

If you will consciously observe the things stated above, you are sure to prevent back pain. I know lots of people who said they got incredibly good results just from applying the above tips.