The Remarkable Iliopsoas – Support, Stability and Connection

Deep inside the body lies the remarkable iliopsoas, often referred to as the hip flexor, connecting the spine, pelvis and legs. The iliopsoas consists of two muscles: the psoas major and the iliacus. Because they share a common tendon and perform similar actions at the hip, they are often described together as one muscle. Yet their attachments are quite different.

The psoas attaches to the lower spine, specifically along the sides of the 12th thoracic vertebra and all five lumbar vertebrae. The iliacus, on the other hand, originates from the inner surface of the pelvis. Together, these two muscles cross the pelvis and attach to the lesser trochanter of the femur, in other words to the upper inner part of the thigh bone.

This unique position makes the iliopsoas a bridge between the trunk and the legs. It helps us lift our legs, walk, balance and stabilize the pelvis and lumbar spine. Each psoas can work independently, helping us make subtle adjustments as we move. When the iliopsoas is moving freely, it can contribute to a sense of ease, stability and groundedness.

More than a Hip Muscle

The psoas lies close to the kidneys, intestines, reproductive organs and major blood vessels. The lumbar plexus, a network of nerves supplying the lower abdomen, pelvis and legs, is closely associated with the psoas. The psoas is also closely connected through fascia with the diaphragm.

The diaphragm is our primary breathing muscle. It attaches to the ribs and the lumbar spine, creating an important relationship between breathing and the deep muscles of the lower back. The diaphragm is dome-shaped and moves downward during inhalation and upward during exhalation. The quality of our breathing affects how we move and organize the pelvis. At the same time, the way we move and organize our spine and pelvis can influence how freely we breathe.

Our modern lifestyle can contribute to a compromised iliopsoas. Long periods of sitting keep the hips in a flexed position, while a lack of varied movement can encourage habitual holding. The psoas may become part of a larger pattern of compensation when the pelvis, spine or hips are not moving efficiently. A shortened or tense psoas may influence pelvic position, lumbar movement and breathing mechanics.

The Psoas and Our Response to Stress

The iliopsoas also plays an important role in our response to stress. When we feel threatened, our body shifts into a fight-or-flight response. The nervous system prepares the body for action: we may curl inward protectively, brace ourselves, fight, or prepare to flee. As a major hip flexor, the psoas is involved in protective movements, such as in rolling the body into a fetal position to protect vital organs, or in actions that require powerful hip flexion, such as running.

It is therefore one of many muscles involved in the physical preparation for movement during a stress response. In this way, the psoas can be experienced as part of our body's instinctive responses to fear and threat, as well as our sense of inner support and safety.

The Psoas, Trauma and Emotional Support

When we experience trauma, ongoing emotional stress or lack of emotional support, the nervous system may learn to stay prepared for danger, even when we are no longer conscious of it. The body may continue to brace and tighten, and the psoas muscle is part of this habitual pattern of holding. Such protective patterns may also develop following physical injury, such as a car accident. So, our experiences can influence the nervous system, and the nervous system influences how we breathe, move and organize our muscles.

Stretching alone does not always address these deeper patterns, since the contraction may be connected to habitual protective responses that developed in response to stress or difficult experiences. With awareness, gentle movement, Reflexology or guidance through Alexander Technique, we can work towards transforming long-held patterns of tension and regain a greater sense of support.

The Iliopsoas in Alexander Technique and Reflexology

In Reflexology, we work with the foot reflex area associated with the iliopsoas, alongside reflex areas relating to the spine, pelvis, diaphragm and other systems. Clients may come for concerns such as lower-back or SI-joint discomfort, hip and pelvic tension, sciatic symptoms, digestive discomfort, breathing patterns, and stress or anxiety.

Reflexology helps to engage the body’s natural healing capabilities for balance and self-regulation. The treatments support healthy muscle tonus, sleep, nervous system regulation, breathing, digestion, circulation, contributing to the client’s physical and emotional well-being.

In Alexander Technique, we explore habitual patterns of holding and how they affect the way we move. The psoas may become part of a pattern of compensation which may contribute to changes in pelvic position and hip movement, affecting our overall coordination and the way we walk.

By bringing awareness to how we use ourselves and allowing greater freedom in the spine, pelvis and joints, Alexander Technique helps us find a more balanced relationship between these parts. As our coordination improves, the iliopsoas can participate in movement with less unnecessary effort. Some people may also experience emotional release in this process of change as they discover a new sense of ease within themselves.

The way we organize ourselves affects the way we walk – and how we walk through life!

Healing from Within

Non-invasive approaches such as Alexander Technique and Reflexology support the body’s natural capacity for healing and balance, addressing not only the biomechanical aspects of the iliopsoas but also an overall sense of well-being and connection. Rather than forcing change, both approaches emphasize awareness, comfort and a sense of safety, supporting each person’s individual process and allowing change to unfold in its own time.

In the sessions, we work on creating conditions for the body to reorganize and discover a more harmonious way of functioning as an integrated whole. Through this process, the iliopsoas can be experienced as part of our deeper sense of support, stability and connection.