The iliopsoas muscle – structure and functions. Exercises to strengthen the iliopsoas muscle

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The iliopsoas muscle (Latin Musculus iliopsoas) is the levator of the hip joint. It connects the femur with the spine and allows you to walk and run, and is responsible for maintaining proper posture.

Structure of the iliopsoas muscle

The iliopsoas muscle it is made of two muscles: the greater psoas and the hip muscle. Lumbar muscle it is part of the muscles of the lower extremities and belongs to the group of the anterior dorsal muscles of the pelvic girdle. At the same time, it is the rear part of the abdominal cavity. It consists of two layers with a fragment of the lumbar plexus between them. The hip muscle is a triangular skeletal muscle. It is a muscle of the lower limb girdle and also belongs to the group of dorsal muscles. It is located at the iliac fossa.

Sometimes to the iliopsoas muscle also includes the psoas minor muscle, which is a flat and long skeletal muscle that lies (intermittently) on iliopsoas muscle.

The iliopsoas muscle It is attached by means of two attachments: the lumbar attachment, which attaches the greater lumbar muscle and is located on the lateral surface of the body of the last thoracic vertebrae and the first four lumbar vertebrae, and ends on the lesser trochanter of the femur and the iliac muscle attachment, which begins at the iliac fossa and ends at the lesser trochanter of the femur.

Functions of the iliopsoas muscle

The first of the included muscles the iliopsoas muscle (the psoas major muscle) acts as a flexor, as does the hip muscle. The iliopsoas muscle allows you to bend and rotate (rotate) the hip joint, it allows you to bend and lift your knees, stretch your knees while lunging and stretch the lumbar spine to the side. It is thanks to the work of this muscle that we can lift the lower and upper half of the body. The iliopsoas muscle it is also essential for basic movements such as walking and running.

Problems with the iliopsoas and how to treat them

The iliopsoas muscle it has many important functions in the human body, but it also generates some problems. One of the most common ailments on his part is contractures. This is a problem especially for those who lead a sedentary lifestyle with contractures the iliopsoas muscle People who play sports such as cycling or jogging are also at risk. The iliopsoas muscle it may also be overloaded during intense training.

Both contracture and overload the iliopsoas muscle causes pain in the groin and in the lower spine (lumbar). The pain is also located in the hip joint and in the sacroiliac joint. This causes problems with walking and maintaining a correct, upright figure. As an alternative, it is worth using Visiomed KINECARE VM-GB7 Lumbar Compress.

A good solution for pain related to contracture the iliopsoas muscle there are stretching exercises. Do them after warming up – remember never to exercise without warming up your muscles as this can lead to even more painful problems.

Regular stretching the iliopsoas muscle It is especially recommended for people who lead a sedentary lifestyle and runners – they should perform this type of exercise before each training to prevent injuries and overload of the iliopsoas muscle.

Exercises for the iliopsoas muscle

The first of exercise na iliopsoas muscle is stretching. You should lie on your back and make gentle circulation, bends, abduction and extensions with one leg or the other. In doing this exercises a second person can help us.

Next exercise it is also used for stretching the iliopsoas muscle. Kneel down on a mat or rug (the floor is too hard to do this exercises; if we exercise outdoors, it is also worth unfolding the mat). Bend the left leg at the knee and move it forward. The right leg is resting on the knee. Rest your arms on the floor, your arms are straightened at the elbows, and your palms are flat on the ground, parallel to your left foot. In this position, stretch the buttock for about 30 seconds, then change the leg.

Third exercise na iliopsoas muscle is as follows: we put the left leg forward, the right leg is on the back. We tear the heel of the left leg off the ground and stretch it iliopsoas muscle slowly bringing the knee of the right leg to the ground. The knee of the left leg must remain bent and must not protrude beyond the top of the shoes. Hands while doing this exercises we keep it on our hips.

A very important thing when exercising exercise na iliopsoas muscle the breathing is normal – you must not hold your breath while you are doing these exercises, as this causes hypoxia in the muscles. Exercises na iliopsoas muscle it should be performed up to the pain limit – it is about stretching and warming up this muscle as much as possible, which is especially important before training.

As an aid in exercising the iliopsoas muscles, use the Airex Balance Pad Training Equivalent Pillow, which you can buy at a promotional price on Medonet Market. In turn, when working for a long time, it is worth placing an Exclusive Support lumbar orthopedic pillow under your back.

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