I love how you don’t hurt your patients. You have a very sensitive and caring approach. I’m starting massage therapy school in August and am very inspired by your methods.
I am a student going into my second year of the 3000 hr advanced clinical massage therapy program. I absolutely LOVE your videos! Thank you 🙏 You have pretty friends!
It is a great gift to be able to articulate this stuff...besides after being out of school for a while, it is easy to get a lazy mind, and not intellectualize it as much. With keeping the mind sharp while the hands do the moving, you are able to more clearly use your intent to remove blockages and restrictions. I appreciate these video's because I have had a habit of using grunt force, too much rather than intuition and subtleties of techniques...your approach slows things down, and "listens" to the client.
Just another comment even though I already commented. Your teaching style is a gift and inspiration. Thank you so much for sharing. It is perfect that you keep talking through it as you go along. All the little details help me learn.
Amazing! I tried this on myself. Almost instant relief! My flat feet really give my back, hips and leg muscles pain. I am on my geet all day! Thank you so so so much!
your intro is the best description of the pain I've been experiencing for 5 years. I've tried to explain my pain to my various Dr.s but struggled with the anatomy and physiology terribly. I finally came up with, "OK, this protrusion (greater trochanter L Femur) and then go up and you feel another boney protrusion ( Iliac ) and the soft part between them (what you call the bowl of the ilium) is where my pain is located -- the Iliacus and psoas muscles or flexors as well as the inguinal ligament. Exactly the symptoms you describe, deep inaccessible pain in the ¿inguinal crease?, soreness in the back side but not exactly the lower back and also pain when the upper leg is flexed inward or out, mostly inward with me (ie, toe in). I know long comment but honestly, your description has helped me understand what I'm experiencing. much obliged. I'm currently in myotherapy (Japanese style) and my therapist is hitting the spots that hurt. All this is subsequent to a surgery I had to have a broken intramedullary rod removed from my left Femur. I wish I had left well enough alone. Peace my friend and right-on for the concise physiology.
Glad to hear that you're getting effective treatment, James! This is also an area where a regimen of stretching and strengthening can be of help, so consider getting a referral for physical therapy. Best of luck!
I love your gentle, respectful approach. The psoas is being recognized as the muscle of fight & flight, and holds deep trauma patterns. Aggressive approaches are counter-intuitive!
You two are entertaining as well as informative. Rachel has a beautiful smile, and even though there's a ton of talking it's all good and your voice isn't annoying in the slightest. Great work!
I'm not a therapist of any kind, and I absolutely couldn't stop watching this very informative video. Thank you! I'm often looking to learn more about my own body. I had a 5 year old hip flexor strain that I finally got relief from through my own clumsy massaging (using a hexagonal dumbbell....). I thought I'd better find out more about how this muscle group works, and I just learned a ton! I think I'll recruit the spouse for the next time I need it released (if there is a next time) :) Great video! Thanks for adding humor, and using the real terminology for the body parts without coming across as snobby. I also appreciated the very colorful words that helped me understand what is happening (ie the word "melt"... that's exactly what it feels like when the fascia releases).
Your gentle approach to this very special muscle group is greatly appreciated! Thank you for providing a new way of thinking here. Keep up the great work :)
This video is great! I love his methodology. I always forget to test psoas with my lower back pain patients. Keep up the great content brother! -Anthony Coelho, RMT, Toronto
You are one of my very favorites to watch. Your style seems the closest to mine I've found, and you have some great tips. Even if I'm not necessarily watching your video to learn something, it is still so relaxing and soothing. It's the closest thing to getting a virtual massage! Thank you for making these!
awesome video Ian ! I love the soft, slow, gentle approach. I am a fairly new therapist and just find all of your video so far to be very helpful and again very gentle and focused. Keep up the good work and THANK YOU for sharing your knowledge
Thank you for this information. I've used similar techniques on clients that have worked, but seemed much more invasive. I will try this technique and see what results I get. Again, thank you.
Erica W Awesome, let me know how it goes! This way takes a while, but it can make hip flexor work much more soothing (and I think it just works better). Thanks for commenting!
I think you are just brilliant. Love this slower more natural approach. You seem very knowledgeable and confident. I'm an old 40 something with right knee osteoarthritis and I really get fatigue/pain in my groin/illiopsoas region particularly after playing Football (Soccer) and Team Handball. My abdominal muscles also struggle when doing certain abdominal exercises and the load seems to transfer to my groin, hip flexors and adductors? I need you as my massage therapist! Rachel is Supercute btw 😍 xx
After 2 1/2 years of pain, well over a year of it severe, limiting my ability to move, months spent with a chiropractor who is as confused as I am, I think I may have finally found what's wrong with me. It fits the symptoms perfectly. And makes so much sense why my chiro's adjustments help, but aren't solving the underlying problem. He keeps saying "bulging disc" or "herniated disc" but after tons of research it just wasn't making sense. This does, 100%. Simply from trying this massage (well, the best I could do) on myself, there is so much less pain and spasming on the back of my hip that has been in awful pain for so long. And it explains the vague abdominal pain (which is also already lessened) that could never be pinpointed to any specific organ.
I would love to see a video on how you work the gluteal group as well as adductors. I have a ton of clients with these issues and other techniques help. I love all of your videos. You have taught me how to work smarter not harder.
Shannan Donovan Thanks Shannan! Check out my sciatica and low back videos for some more gluteal region strategies. I definitely need to make an adductor video. Thanks for the ideas and encouragement!
Ian, may I ask where you practice? I really enjoy your soft voice and high level of anatomy knowledge. You and Rachel have a fun dynamic that lends itself well to your videos :) I, like several of your other viewers have become lazy after leaving massage school. This video is exciting and makes me look forward to learning again! I will hopefully be taking MFR I with John Barnes in April, here in Manchester, NH.
Thanks for sharing...I believe in your work for I have been working in that area of my body with some tools to assist me and it has been immediate improvement. My situation is that the pain does keep coming back as I do work out my body.
today is the first time I have watched you, I am really enjoying your videos! Love your thorough explanations of what and why you are doing things. Thanks!!
Thank you for the helpful advice. I have many clients with lower back issues, and it's always hard when I have to deal with the "beer gut" :) well, I'm glad I stumbled upon your channel.
Thank you so VERY ,much for these wonderful videos. They have been very very helpful studying for my finals coming up soon. I look forward to all the new ones in the future
I've always palpated the psoas by bending the knees, feet flat on the table and going in with my finger tips. Deeper with each deep breath. Test that I'm on the muscle by having them attempt to bring knee to chest with very very slight resistance.
There aren't a lot of changes necessary. In both cases, we're not really pushing on the psoas muscle, we're compressing the abdominal cavity (gently and broadly) and that compression carries over to the deeper structures. A few inches of subcutaneous and visceral fat won't prevent that, but they will displace some of the pressure outward. In other words, it just makes it easier to work broadly! As for iliacus, it is still quite accessible on larger clients: If you can palpate the ASIS, you can dip medially and make contact with iliacus. For clients with broader fat distributions or enough to obscure the ASIS, you can ask them to roll slightly away from you (being careful about keeping them safely centered on the table), which will draw the superficial fascia away from the lateral pelvis. As for lifting the leg while prone for a hip flexor stretch, this isn't always something I'm physically capable of, but a similar effect can be achieved by slipping a folded towel or thin pillow under the bent knee while they're face down. This will achieve the same hip extension, just less dynamically. Make sure to keep this brief, and monitor your client for low back pain while the hip is extended. Good question!
If you're having hip/low back/pelvis pain, my advice is to think of it as an ongoing conversation with those areas rather than something that needs to be fixed or undone. Over the course of months or years a situation has developed that your nervous system has classified as pain, maybe even debilitating pain. To get that pain to ease up and eventually cease, you and your massage therapist need to convince your nervous system that there is no emergency and no need for tight muscles with a tendency to spasm. Your massage therapist does that with prolonged systematic contact, repeated over the course of multiple sessions, and you can send that same message by changing your activities. That might involve standing more often, going on jogs, doing yoga, starting a strength training regimen, etc. And if your pain is persistent or significantly impedes your life, consider seeing your doctor for a referral to physical therapy. So that's the long answer. The short answer is... maybe ten? I've seen good results after only a session or two, but long-term repetition has the biggest impact.
Hi Ian. Judging by the number of views of this video there are a lot of MT's out there with concerns about this area (hopefully that's why there are so many views and not because of your cute model/friend). As others have asked, I would really love to know how you tested to be sure it was psoas/illiacus that needed work. I have a number of clients with complicated low back pain that I have been helping with but can't quite completely relieve, so wondering if they may need this work and would like to be able to find out for sure. Can you share that?
It's a process of elimination for me, with psoas work being something that I reserve for clients who don't seem to respond completely to posterior and lateral pelvis work over the course of several sessions. The hip flexor stretch at the end of the video can be a good indicator that the muscle is tight (which is a good clue), but not necessarily that it's the culprit. Pain/"catching" along the inguinal ligament (near the crease along the anterior hip) can also be a good indicator. But basically, even without other indicators, the incomplete resolution of symptoms is enough for me to give hip flexor work a try.
Nоt certain about the pppoints mаde but ,if anyonе else is searching fooor hip flexor pain еxercises try twitter.com/0b6c4732adf184761/status/794458642376368128 Massaage Tutorial Myofaaascial release for psoaas and iliacus hip flexors
I love your speed (or lack of), but she has her arms over her head. That can pull the superficial tissue tight and keep you as a practitioner from getting to the psoas. The bent leg helps though. Keep up the good work?
Also,there was a case manipulated the same way may with more little pressure over the right iliac fossa , the day after she was in ER becoz of ruptured appendix
Hi Ian :) What was the test you used to pinpoint the problem as being psoas and iliacus related. I think you mentioned that you would show the test but then may have forgotten :) Would be extremely interested to know what it is and how its performed. Thanks heaps for all your effort. Rach
The body takes the shape of the things you do the most so if someone works sitting down or sleeps on their side while hiking up their leg you can almost certainly work on the psoas and encounter tightness. Just by asking your client what their habits are you can figure out everything that’s tight
So, if I understand you correctly you wait to feel the visera move out of the way so you actualy make palpable contact with the posas? and use the meat of the palm and pads of the fingers to help shift the visera/fascia out of the way? then use slight pressure contact to help relax the psoas once you actually find it? I currently am working with a pt who has complex low pack hip pain, and not any sciatic pain, pt does alot of biking which i feel might be the reason for this but when you thin of the locomotion of the feet it is usually the hip extesor muscles that push the pedals down, but I am pretty sure the pt is having hip flexor tightness causing the LB pain and plan on using this technique, thanks!
Hunter Lane Not so much a matter of feeling the viscera move as trusting that it will do so. You'll feel a gradual lessening of resistance (or a "sinking" sensation) as time passes. That is the massage, at least from a myofascial perspective: You're encouraging tight tissue to chill out.You could then go on to do specific psoas work (in which case you may want to verify that you're on the muscle by having them contract it), but I'm usually happy just sinking into the general area and subtly interacting with the associated fascia and nervous tissue. I think you'll find that you accomplish quite a bit just by being in the right neighborhood and hanging out for a while.Let me know how it goes with your client! I think you may be on to something with the iliopsoas involvement.
I recently had this done at physical therapy the other day. And while he was doing it and pressing/smooshing on my left lower quadrant it was very painful and I even said it feels like you're perforating my bowel. Since then I feel bruised and really tender to the touch in that area. Im having widespread abdominal pain and almost a cramping feeling. Should I be worried?
+AshleyFabulous23 It sounds like there was too much pressure used, possibly with too direct a tool. It would be outside of my scope of practice to speculate about the source of your pain. If the pain persists or increases (especially in the presence of a fever), I certainly recommend seeing a medical doctor for evaluation. Best of luck!
if we have low back tightness in left side the tight psoas is from left side or in the right side ? because i feel that my tight psoas is from right side when i touch it. thank you .i wait for your comment
I don't know, to be honest! While it makes sense that the muscle could create some torsion in the low-back/pelvis region that could affect the opposite side, I find tightness on the same side just as often. As such, I try to work with both sides and let the nervous system sort it out.
Yes, and it's a great way to work with iliacus especially (you can basically sandwich the ilium between thumb and fingers and sink into useful and relevant tissue on both sides). The only problem with side-lying psoas work is that the angles can be a little awkward; while the technique in this video allows you to sink using straight arms and your bodyweight, any side-lying work will push the client toward the side of the table. This will require extra bolstering behind their back, or bracing them with your knee or the side of your body (with their informed consent). The side of the body works well for this application: They roll away from you, and you sit next to them facing the head of the table. Your hip and flank stabilizes their sacrum and lumbar region as you compress the psoas toward yourself using a bent arm, elbow facing away from you and palm toward yourself. If any of that is hard to envision let me know and I'll sketch it out :) In any case, let their breathing do most of the work, and think of compressing toward psoas rather than trying to interact with it directly.
Hello Ian. I have had on and off painfor 20 years in my left hip area. The pain goes down my leg too. But I find that the pain seems to originate on the sacro-iliac bone crest just to the right of the IS joint. And the pain goes down the groin area and seems to be affecting my hip flexion and rotation. All of a sudden it is very painful, and then other times I don't feel any pain what so ever. The left side feels great!! I have done quite a bit in horseback riding and I walk quite often. I am a 65 yr old "athlete". So this problem, do you think it is from age, riding, or a freak problem? And with this information, do you have exercises or massaging techniques. I am a massage therapist and have studied quite a bit about the human body. But when it comes to my body, I feel a bit lost, especially after 20 years and not having found a good solution. And
+Linda Pilloud Hi Linda! When I hear about pain that involves the posterior pelvis as well as the groin, I'm thinking psoas and iliacus. Your hip flexors use your inguinal ligament as a sling as you flex your hip (and as you stabilize your body as you ride), and they're in a pretty tight situation as they pass from your anterior abdominopelvic region to your thigh. If I had to guess at a muscular cause, I'm thinking the hip flexors. Some gentle stretching would be in order (I don't have a video on that one, I'm afraid!), as well as temporarily switching to activities that keep you in motion, but that don't provoke that pain. If your symptoms stay the same or get worse, I do advise you to see a doctor for evaluation. Best of luck!
+Massage Sloth Thank you Ian. I do think you are so correct. I did see the doctor and she said that I have arthritis in the hip, but I do not see it that way.I will take your suggestions and work out my issue and hopefully feel better in the hip region. Thanks!!
Thank you for this, I'd like to use this approach on a male client who has a lot of pain in the hips, sacral region, he has a lot of trigger points in the hamstrings, quads, ES...he spends most of his working hours on his knees. I'm concerned about how to do this while preserving client's dignity and do it in an appropriate and professional manner. I've never worked on this area in a male and am very apprehensive. Thanks!
The easiest way might be to do it at the beginning of the session while he is still clothed. Have him lay on top of the drape and interact with his abdomen through his shirt. If that's not possible (or if his clothes are too restrictive), you can do a "diaper drape" of the leg while you work with the abdomen through the sheet. That will allow you to manipulate the leg without allowing a draft, and will maintain his modesty and your comfort. If you're unsure of working with the abdomen through a layer of cloth, experiment with a friend to find the relevant landmarks under those circumstances. If you can find the ASIS and belly button, you should be able to find iliacus and the general region of psoas. Work confidently and keep up your communication, and it should be a comfortable experience for both of you. Best of luck!
Hi Miriam, you can do much of this while the client is clothed in a kind of pre-massage session. Here's what that looks like from me: ruclips.net/video/X6ghJKqG5hk/видео.html Just ask them to wear something stretchy :)
I have spent months investigating treating pain from hip flexor muscles naturally and discovered a fantastic resource here twitter.com/98d6c4d508a177041/status/822776762270498816 MMMassage Tutorial Myofascial release for psoas and iliacus hip flexors
Thanks for explaining what’s happening, all your videos are great. I had scoliosis & had spinal fusion T2 to L4 five years ago when I was 44. It did correct the scoliosis BUT it brought so many new problems including extreme pain in my SI joint, upper thighs, buttocks, and a twisted pelvis & “short” leg. The stomach techniques shown in this video really help me, my chiropractor (who I see every Tuesday) does a lot of the techniques that you use and now I understand why. It feels so good! Tuesday is my favourite day of the week! I try to self treat throughout the week & I still take opiate meds unfortunately but as the week goes on I revert to poor posture, and trying to stand upright and walk is exhausting and very painful. Is there anything I can do? Why is my myofascia broken?! Any help much appreciated 😀
Oh my good god if someone tries to sink on that hip bone i have where the iliacus muscle is i will loooose iiitt, by that i mean i will be laughing so hard that i will cry, is one of my ticklish spot of my whole body that is not even funny, she is so brave to handle it like a queen!
Thank you so very much for your videos. I am in training, so am finding them really really helpful. I am actually wondering about doing this and the trap video, I have tried it on clients with more tissue about their bones than Rachel - muscle or adipose. As well, less flexible skin. It has been really difficult to perform, and I find it difficult to palpate the structures. Do you have tips for handling this? Plus, I am quite short, and can't quiet get that downward angle that you seem to manage, any tips for that? My table won't go any lower.
Hello! Great video for this technique! My fingers lock up all the time in spear hand. It's scary and annoying and embarrassing because the client can see I get uncomfortable when it happens. How do you keep your fingers strong for this?
That's not uncommon, but it can be distressing. My advice would be to double up your hands, allowing the gentle curvature of your working hand to be reinforced by your other hand. Keep those interphalangeal joints from reaching full extension, and you should be able to avoid that uncomfortable "locking up" sensation. Another strategy is to avoid spear hand altogether. Try using your palms (again, doubled up if you feel discomfort), or even the interphalangeal joints (the "door knocking knuckles") to apply pressure. If you'd like to keep working with that spear configuration, I'm a big fan of a hand strengthening regimen for any and all hand pain and dysfunction. I like putty for this application (look for "therapy putty" on amazon), with short 2-5 minute squishing sessions for each hand every day, followed by some gentle stretching. You can still do excellent work with the hip flexors without getting super specific with your contacts. Use the techniques that work for your unique body, and keep honing your tools. Let me know if you'd like to do any more troubleshooting!
There are no certifications I can think of that would guarantee thorough and painless psoas work. My recommendation would be to look for a massage therapist who seems to be a voracious learner. Someone with thorough knowledge of the body and plenty of continuing education is likely to know how to work with the abdomen and anterior pelvis. Best of luck!
I plan to have a video on working with ticklish clients soon. I think that many of these contacts could be made with the right approach. Thanks for your comments!
+Graciously Grateful Certainly! While specific work to the psoas might be more difficult to achieve with clients who have more abdominal fat, the broad form of contact demonstrated in the video will work just fine. Direct your pressure down toward the table; while some of that will be displaced outward by adipose tissue and the viscera, a fair amount will interact with the deeper structures. No need, in my opinion, to target that region with too much specificity. I do like to target iliacus more specifically, which is achievable with most body types. If you displace the client's abdominal fat medially (either with the edge of your hand, or by having them draw their skin medially with their hands), you can sink in with fingertips or the heel of your hand and compress the tissue in the anterior ilia, usually with little tissue in between you and the muscle. All of that said, I often find that I can accomplish much without directly contacting the anterior abdomen or pelvis at all. It's just an interesting way of offering new stimuli to those regions, and some clients may be more amenable to it than others.
If this is interfering with your ability to live your life (for instance, if you'd like to be a massage therapist, or if it's getting in the way of intimacy), then I strongly recommend seeing a psychologist or other talk therapist. Irrational fear and disgust responses can be extinguished over time, and it's best done under the guidance of a professional.
Hey there! Ive just recently started working with the iliopsoas and I got soo nervous with my client. He is actually the 1st client Ive worked with and the 2nd time we work this area. I got nervous because I dont feel like I was on it and I dont want to cause harm. While I was working his right iliopsoas his left mid back started to feel some slight pain. And we he got up and moved around his vertebrae did some adjusting...I got a bit worried, thinking that maybe I may have caused this pain? And is it good or bad?! Any thoughts on this? I appreciate your time taken to respond!
Hi Jessica, sorry for the delay in responding! Definitely keep an eye on any pain afterwards, but if you're working fairly gently then you shouldn't have much to worry about. The same with worries about whether you're on the muscle: If you're in the general region and compressing the overlying tissue, you'll be interacting with relevant nerve endings. Be patient with this work, and make changes according to client comfort, and I think you'll have a lot of success with it.
I’m not sure if you work based on time of a session but wow this was waaaay longer than it should be and you’ve wasted so much time I would of been done with both sides with some breathing and visualization techniques
This does go on a bit long for demonstration purposes, but my interaction with the abdomen does last a long time when dealing with complicated hip/low back pain. While it's possible to sink right into the area, I think that patient contact does a lot of good work here.
At around 6 minutes in look at her feet. She has Barbi feet from wearing excessive heels, probably boots. By around 13 minutes you can clearly see a difference!
I love how you don’t hurt your patients. You have a very sensitive and caring approach. I’m starting massage therapy school in August and am very inspired by your methods.
I am a student going into my second year of the 3000 hr advanced clinical massage therapy program. I absolutely LOVE your videos! Thank you 🙏 You have pretty friends!
3000 hours is A LOT! Where on earth are you studying?! The most I have heard of was 2200 in Canada!
It is a great gift to be able to articulate this stuff...besides after being out of school for a while, it is easy to get a lazy mind, and not intellectualize it as much. With keeping the mind sharp while the hands do the moving, you are able to more clearly use your intent to remove blockages and restrictions. I appreciate these video's because I have had a habit of using grunt force, too much rather than intuition and subtleties of techniques...your approach slows things down, and "listens" to the client.
Just another comment even though I already commented. Your teaching style is a gift and inspiration. Thank you so much for sharing. It is perfect that you keep talking through it as you go along. All the little details help me learn.
Amazing! I tried this on myself. Almost instant relief! My flat feet really give my back, hips and leg muscles pain. I am on my geet all day! Thank you so so so much!
your intro is the best description of the pain I've been experiencing for 5 years. I've tried to explain my pain to my various Dr.s but struggled with the anatomy and physiology terribly. I finally came up with, "OK, this protrusion (greater trochanter L Femur) and then go up and you feel another boney protrusion ( Iliac ) and the soft part between them (what you call the bowl of the ilium) is where my pain is located -- the Iliacus and psoas muscles or flexors as well as the inguinal ligament. Exactly the symptoms you describe, deep inaccessible pain in the ¿inguinal crease?, soreness in the back side but not exactly the lower back and also pain when the upper leg is flexed inward or out, mostly inward with me (ie, toe in). I know long comment but honestly, your description has helped me understand what I'm experiencing. much obliged. I'm currently in myotherapy (Japanese style) and my therapist is hitting the spots that hurt. All this is subsequent to a surgery I had to have a broken intramedullary rod removed from my left Femur. I wish I had left well enough alone.
Peace my friend and right-on for the concise physiology.
Glad to hear that you're getting effective treatment, James! This is also an area where a regimen of stretching and strengthening can be of help, so consider getting a referral for physical therapy. Best of luck!
I love your gentle, respectful approach. The psoas is being recognized as the muscle of fight & flight, and holds deep trauma patterns. Aggressive approaches are counter-intuitive!
You two are entertaining as well as informative. Rachel has a beautiful smile, and even though there's a ton of talking it's all good and your voice isn't annoying in the slightest. Great work!
Thank you so much for sharing this work. I am learning SO much. Overflowing with gratitude for your work with psoas
I'm not a therapist of any kind, and I absolutely couldn't stop watching this very informative video. Thank you! I'm often looking to learn more about my own body. I had a 5 year old hip flexor strain that I finally got relief from through my own clumsy massaging (using a hexagonal dumbbell....). I thought I'd better find out more about how this muscle group works, and I just learned a ton! I think I'll recruit the spouse for the next time I need it released (if there is a next time) :)
Great video! Thanks for adding humor, and using the real terminology for the body parts without coming across as snobby. I also appreciated the very colorful words that helped me understand what is happening (ie the word "melt"... that's exactly what it feels like when the fascia releases).
Would love to see the psoas diagnostic test you mentioned showing earlier in the video.
Thanks for the teachings
This was excellent! I love the slower approach, and you do a good job of demonstrating, while explaining. Thanks!
Your gentle approach to this very special muscle group is greatly appreciated! Thank you for providing a new way of thinking here. Keep up the great work :)
This video is great! I love his methodology. I always forget to test psoas with my lower back pain patients. Keep up the great content brother!
-Anthony Coelho, RMT, Toronto
You are one of my very favorites to watch. Your style seems the closest to mine I've found, and you have some great tips. Even if I'm not necessarily watching your video to learn something, it is still so relaxing and soothing. It's the closest thing to getting a virtual massage! Thank you for making these!
I don't get the downvotes, this is pretty helpful. Ty!
I was confused about that too!
It’s good I like the hand engagement at first, very Osteo haha
your voice is so soothing. !! I'm surprised Rachel didn't fall asleep!
awesome video Ian ! I love the soft, slow, gentle approach. I am a fairly new therapist and just find all of your video so far to be very helpful and again very gentle and focused. Keep up the good work and THANK YOU for sharing your knowledge
Diane Counts I appreciate the kind words, and I'm glad you've been enjoying the videos!
Thank you for this information. I've used similar techniques on clients that have worked, but seemed much more invasive. I will try this technique and see what results I get. Again, thank you.
Erica W Awesome, let me know how it goes! This way takes a while, but it can make hip flexor work much more soothing (and I think it just works better). Thanks for commenting!
Thanks Ian - Had client with psoas issues and this helps a great deal.
Great to hear!
I think you are just brilliant. Love this slower more natural approach. You seem very knowledgeable and confident. I'm an old 40 something with right knee osteoarthritis and I really get fatigue/pain in my groin/illiopsoas region particularly after playing Football (Soccer) and Team Handball. My abdominal muscles also struggle when doing certain abdominal exercises and the load seems to transfer to my groin, hip flexors and adductors?
I need you as my massage therapist! Rachel is Supercute btw 😍 xx
So relaxing. I love your videos!
After 2 1/2 years of pain, well over a year of it severe, limiting my ability to move, months spent with a chiropractor who is as confused as I am, I think I may have finally found what's wrong with me. It fits the symptoms perfectly. And makes so much sense why my chiro's adjustments help, but aren't solving the underlying problem. He keeps saying "bulging disc" or "herniated disc" but after tons of research it just wasn't making sense. This does, 100%. Simply from trying this massage (well, the best I could do) on myself, there is so much less pain and spasming on the back of my hip that has been in awful pain for so long. And it explains the vague abdominal pain (which is also already lessened) that could never be pinpointed to any specific organ.
I would love to see a video on how you work the gluteal group as well as adductors. I have a ton of clients with these issues and other techniques help. I love all of your videos. You have taught me how to work smarter not harder.
Shannan Donovan Thanks Shannan! Check out my sciatica and low back videos for some more gluteal region strategies. I definitely need to make an adductor video. Thanks for the ideas and encouragement!
I had this done two days ago and I felt it to be very uncomfortable and I had a sharp pain as my PT pressed deeply is this normal?
Ian, may I ask where you practice? I really enjoy your soft voice and high level of anatomy knowledge. You and Rachel have a fun dynamic that lends itself well to your videos :) I, like several of your other viewers have become lazy after leaving massage school. This video is exciting and makes me look forward to learning again! I will hopefully be taking MFR I with John Barnes in April, here in Manchester, NH.
Your very skilled with your massage techniques.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge thru video I have many techniques that I learn from you.God bless you
Thanks for sharing...I believe in your work for I have been working in that area of my body with some tools to assist me and it has been immediate improvement. My situation is that the pain does keep coming back as I do work out my body.
She is my hair twin! And what on Earth is with all of the dislikes? Is it because you aren't digging in her side like a madman?
I just noticed all the dislikes! That’s weird
Thank you so much for your videos! they have helped me so much with my studies :D
+Elise White Happy to help! Let me know if there are other topics you'd like to see me cover.
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today is the first time I have watched you, I am really enjoying your videos! Love your thorough explanations of what and why you are doing things. Thanks!!
Thanks so much, Valerie!
If anуоne wаnts to unсovеr aching hip flеxоrs best workout fоr hips trу twitter.com/88c17b6ae994fcf93/status/822776762270498816 Мassаge Тutorial Mуоfаsсiаl rеleаse fоr рsoas аnd iliасus hipp flехоrs
Thank you for the helpful advice. I have many clients with lower back issues, and it's always hard when I have to deal with the "beer gut" :) well, I'm glad I stumbled upon your channel.
Thank you so VERY ,much for these wonderful videos. They have been very very helpful studying for my finals coming up soon. I look forward to all the new ones in the future
Your videos are great thank u ! I am a LMT and I am learning more tricks from u , keep it up !
I paused my reading of Massage is Weird when it mentioned the psoas to watch this video.
I've always palpated the psoas by bending the knees, feet flat on the table and going in with my finger tips. Deeper with each deep breath. Test that I'm on the muscle by having them attempt to bring knee to chest with very very slight resistance.
Great! How would this work for larger clients?
There aren't a lot of changes necessary. In both cases, we're not really pushing on the psoas muscle, we're compressing the abdominal cavity (gently and broadly) and that compression carries over to the deeper structures. A few inches of subcutaneous and visceral fat won't prevent that, but they will displace some of the pressure outward. In other words, it just makes it easier to work broadly! As for iliacus, it is still quite accessible on larger clients: If you can palpate the ASIS, you can dip medially and make contact with iliacus. For clients with broader fat distributions or enough to obscure the ASIS, you can ask them to roll slightly away from you (being careful about keeping them safely centered on the table), which will draw the superficial fascia away from the lateral pelvis. As for lifting the leg while prone for a hip flexor stretch, this isn't always something I'm physically capable of, but a similar effect can be achieved by slipping a folded towel or thin pillow under the bent knee while they're face down. This will achieve the same hip extension, just less dynamically. Make sure to keep this brief, and monitor your client for low back pain while the hip is extended. Good question!
I was actually scrolling the comments looking for this answer! Thank you
Amazing! how many sessions to fix it? I have a lot of pain Thank you for an answer
If you're having hip/low back/pelvis pain, my advice is to think of it as an ongoing conversation with those areas rather than something that needs to be fixed or undone. Over the course of months or years a situation has developed that your nervous system has classified as pain, maybe even debilitating pain. To get that pain to ease up and eventually cease, you and your massage therapist need to convince your nervous system that there is no emergency and no need for tight muscles with a tendency to spasm. Your massage therapist does that with prolonged systematic contact, repeated over the course of multiple sessions, and you can send that same message by changing your activities. That might involve standing more often, going on jogs, doing yoga, starting a strength training regimen, etc. And if your pain is persistent or significantly impedes your life, consider seeing your doctor for a referral to physical therapy.
So that's the long answer. The short answer is... maybe ten? I've seen good results after only a session or two, but long-term repetition has the biggest impact.
I'm suffering from those exact symptoms. I'm trying to alleviate the spasms in my hips and lower back.
Awesome video btw! Love how you explained all the possible issues stemming from the iliopsoas and the movements involved. Paints a vivid image!:)
Hi Ian. Judging by the number of views of this video there are a lot of MT's out there with concerns about this area (hopefully that's why there are so many views and not because of your cute model/friend). As others have asked, I would really love to know how you tested to be sure it was psoas/illiacus that needed work. I have a number of clients with complicated low back pain that I have been helping with but can't quite completely relieve, so wondering if they may need this work and would like to be able to find out for sure. Can you share that?
It's a process of elimination for me, with psoas work being something that I reserve for clients who don't seem to respond completely to posterior and lateral pelvis work over the course of several sessions. The hip flexor stretch at the end of the video can be a good indicator that the muscle is tight (which is a good clue), but not necessarily that it's the culprit. Pain/"catching" along the inguinal ligament (near the crease along the anterior hip) can also be a good indicator. But basically, even without other indicators, the incomplete resolution of symptoms is enough for me to give hip flexor work a try.
Nоt certain about the pppoints mаde but ,if anyonе else is searching fooor hip flexor pain еxercises try twitter.com/0b6c4732adf184761/status/794458642376368128 Massaage Tutorial Myofaaascial release for psoaas and iliacus hip flexors
thomas test
I love your speed (or lack of), but she has her arms over her head. That can pull the superficial tissue tight and keep you as a practitioner from getting to the psoas. The bent leg helps though. Keep up the good work?
ok thank you. can you demonstrate or show us how to fix a pelvic posterior tilt and also anterior?
Im wearing a purple scrubs shirt right now
Do you ever check for an abdominal aneurysm before doing this work?
Also,there was a case manipulated the same way may with more little pressure over the right iliac fossa , the day after she was in ER becoz of ruptured appendix
I think if I took this long to do a muscle my clients would scadaddle also what if you had someone who was horizontally challenged
Hi Ian :) What was the test you used to pinpoint the problem as being psoas and iliacus related. I think you mentioned that you would show the test but then may have forgotten :) Would be extremely interested to know what it is and how its performed. Thanks heaps for all your effort. Rach
The body takes the shape of the things you do the most so if someone works sitting down or sleeps on their side while hiking up their leg you can almost certainly work on the psoas and encounter tightness. Just by asking your client what their habits are you can figure out everything that’s tight
So, if I understand you correctly you wait to feel the visera move out of the way so you actualy make palpable contact with the posas? and use the meat of the palm and pads of the fingers to help shift the visera/fascia out of the way? then use slight pressure contact to help relax the psoas once you actually find it? I currently am working with a pt who has complex low pack hip pain, and not any sciatic pain, pt does alot of biking which i feel might be the reason for this but when you thin of the locomotion of the feet it is usually the hip extesor muscles that push the pedals down, but I am pretty sure the pt is having hip flexor tightness causing the LB pain and plan on using this technique, thanks!
Hunter Lane Not so much a matter of feeling the viscera move as trusting that it will do so. You'll feel a gradual lessening of resistance (or a "sinking" sensation) as time passes. That is the massage, at least from a myofascial perspective: You're encouraging tight tissue to chill out.You could then go on to do specific psoas work (in which case you may want to verify that you're on the muscle by having them contract it), but I'm usually happy just sinking into the general area and subtly interacting with the associated fascia and nervous tissue. I think you'll find that you accomplish quite a bit just by being in the right neighborhood and hanging out for a while.Let me know how it goes with your client! I think you may be on to something with the iliopsoas involvement.
thanks...
Lovely kindly mindfully connecting thankful
Awesome Kumu
She has the nicest smile ever
totally agree
Her hair is absolutely gorgeous too!
interesting points, if anyone is searching for hip flexor pain exercises try twitter.com/89207fd0557f152fe/status/822776762270498816
Very nice massage i like this ❤️❤️❤️
I recently had this done at physical therapy the other day. And while he was doing it and pressing/smooshing on my left lower quadrant it was very painful and I even said it feels like you're perforating my bowel. Since then I feel bruised and really tender to the touch in that area. Im having widespread abdominal pain and almost a cramping feeling. Should I be worried?
+AshleyFabulous23 It sounds like there was too much pressure used, possibly with too direct a tool. It would be outside of my scope of practice to speculate about the source of your pain. If the pain persists or increases (especially in the presence of a fever), I certainly recommend seeing a medical doctor for evaluation. Best of luck!
+Massage Sloth Thank you!
Great video, thank you so much
Love your vids! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
The look on the face when the fascia is interfaced with a listening practitioner
if we have low back tightness in left side the tight psoas is from left side or in the right side ? because i feel that my tight psoas is from right side when i touch it.
thank you .i wait for your comment
I don't know, to be honest! While it makes sense that the muscle could create some torsion in the low-back/pelvis region that could affect the opposite side, I find tightness on the same side just as often. As such, I try to work with both sides and let the nervous system sort it out.
Could this technique be done as effectively with the client on their side? Would this help move the viscera out of the way?
Yes, and it's a great way to work with iliacus especially (you can basically sandwich the ilium between thumb and fingers and sink into useful and relevant tissue on both sides). The only problem with side-lying psoas work is that the angles can be a little awkward; while the technique in this video allows you to sink using straight arms and your bodyweight, any side-lying work will push the client toward the side of the table. This will require extra bolstering behind their back, or bracing them with your knee or the side of your body (with their informed consent). The side of the body works well for this application: They roll away from you, and you sit next to them facing the head of the table. Your hip and flank stabilizes their sacrum and lumbar region as you compress the psoas toward yourself using a bent arm, elbow facing away from you and palm toward yourself. If any of that is hard to envision let me know and I'll sketch it out :) In any case, let their breathing do most of the work, and think of compressing toward psoas rather than trying to interact with it directly.
When doing this with draping, would it be better to lay the client on their side? Thank you
Thank you Ian!
Love your videos, can I make an appt? :)
Do you work with clients in their clothing? How would you drape a client and do this?
A client would need to have a lot of trust in the massage therapist if they work in the inguinal area.
+MrRedstardude Definitely, communication is key.
Sir just to be clear we have to put pressure on the opposite side on abdomin right?
Hello Ian. I have had on and off painfor 20 years in my left hip area. The pain goes down my leg too. But I find that the pain seems to originate on the sacro-iliac bone crest just to the right of the IS joint. And the pain goes down the groin area and seems to be affecting my hip flexion and rotation. All of a sudden it is very painful, and then other times I don't feel any pain what so ever. The left side feels great!! I have done quite a bit in horseback riding and I walk quite often. I am a 65 yr old "athlete". So this problem, do you think it is from age, riding, or a freak problem? And with this information, do you have exercises or massaging techniques. I am a massage therapist and have studied quite a bit about the human body. But when it comes to my body, I feel a bit lost, especially after 20 years and not having found a good solution. And
+Linda Pilloud Hi Linda! When I hear about pain that involves the posterior pelvis as well as the groin, I'm thinking psoas and iliacus. Your hip flexors use your inguinal ligament as a sling as you flex your hip (and as you stabilize your body as you ride), and they're in a pretty tight situation as they pass from your anterior abdominopelvic region to your thigh. If I had to guess at a muscular cause, I'm thinking the hip flexors. Some gentle stretching would be in order (I don't have a video on that one, I'm afraid!), as well as temporarily switching to activities that keep you in motion, but that don't provoke that pain. If your symptoms stay the same or get worse, I do advise you to see a doctor for evaluation. Best of luck!
+Massage Sloth Thank you Ian. I do think you are so correct. I did see the doctor and she said that I have arthritis in the hip, but I do not see it that way.I will take your suggestions and work out my issue and hopefully feel better in the hip region. Thanks!!
God dam i love these videos! Im a new starting therapist, these are so informative! Why the dislikes???? Keep em comin :)
Wish I could find a place I could go to in Texas. I live in the Houston area. Can you recommend someone in my area?
What the heck is up with the downvotes?!
very nice massage
Thank you for this, I'd like to use this approach on a male client who has a lot of pain in the hips, sacral region, he has a lot of trigger points in the hamstrings, quads, ES...he spends most of his working hours on his knees. I'm concerned about how to do this while preserving client's dignity and do it in an appropriate and professional manner. I've never worked on this area in a male and am very apprehensive. Thanks!
The easiest way might be to do it at the beginning of the session while he is still clothed. Have him lay on top of the drape and interact with his abdomen through his shirt. If that's not possible (or if his clothes are too restrictive), you can do a "diaper drape" of the leg while you work with the abdomen through the sheet. That will allow you to manipulate the leg without allowing a draft, and will maintain his modesty and your comfort. If you're unsure of working with the abdomen through a layer of cloth, experiment with a friend to find the relevant landmarks under those circumstances. If you can find the ASIS and belly button, you should be able to find iliacus and the general region of psoas. Work confidently and keep up your communication, and it should be a comfortable experience for both of you. Best of luck!
Hi Miriam, you can do much of this while the client is clothed in a kind of pre-massage session. Here's what that looks like from me: ruclips.net/video/X6ghJKqG5hk/видео.html Just ask them to wear something stretchy :)
I have spent months investigating treating pain from hip flexor muscles naturally and discovered a fantastic resource here twitter.com/98d6c4d508a177041/status/822776762270498816 MMMassage Tutorial Myofascial release for psoas and iliacus hip flexors
Thanks for explaining what’s happening, all your videos are great. I had scoliosis & had spinal fusion T2 to L4 five years ago when I was 44. It did correct the scoliosis BUT it brought so many new problems including extreme pain in my SI joint, upper thighs, buttocks, and a twisted pelvis & “short” leg. The stomach techniques shown in this video really help me, my chiropractor (who I see every Tuesday) does a lot of the techniques that you use and now I understand why. It feels so good! Tuesday is my favourite day of the week! I try to self treat throughout the week & I still take opiate meds unfortunately but as the week goes on I revert to poor posture, and trying to stand upright and walk is exhausting and very painful. Is there anything I can do? Why is my myofascia broken?! Any help much appreciated 😀
Oh my good god if someone tries to sink on that hip bone i have where the iliacus muscle is i will loooose iiitt, by that i mean i will be laughing so hard that i will cry, is one of my ticklish spot of my whole body that is not even funny, she is so brave to handle it like a queen!
😂😂😂love you guys!!! ❤️
What is single pad? Not the tip of ur finger or palm ur hand?
Thank you so very much for your videos. I am in training, so am finding them really really helpful. I am actually wondering about doing this and the trap video, I have tried it on clients with more tissue about their bones than Rachel - muscle or adipose. As well, less flexible skin. It has been really difficult to perform, and I find it difficult to palpate the structures. Do you have tips for handling this? Plus, I am quite short, and can't quiet get that downward angle that you seem to manage, any tips for that? My table won't go any lower.
Hello! Great video for this technique! My fingers lock up all the time in spear hand. It's scary and annoying and embarrassing because the client can see I get uncomfortable when it happens. How do you keep your fingers strong for this?
That's not uncommon, but it can be distressing. My advice would be to double up your hands, allowing the gentle curvature of your working hand to be reinforced by your other hand. Keep those interphalangeal joints from reaching full extension, and you should be able to avoid that uncomfortable "locking up" sensation. Another strategy is to avoid spear hand altogether. Try using your palms (again, doubled up if you feel discomfort), or even the interphalangeal joints (the "door knocking knuckles") to apply pressure. If you'd like to keep working with that spear configuration, I'm a big fan of a hand strengthening regimen for any and all hand pain and dysfunction. I like putty for this application (look for "therapy putty" on amazon), with short 2-5 minute squishing sessions for each hand every day, followed by some gentle stretching.
You can still do excellent work with the hip flexors without getting super specific with your contacts. Use the techniques that work for your unique body, and keep honing your tools. Let me know if you'd like to do any more troubleshooting!
Great video.Thanks
How do I find someone in my area educated in releasing the psoas. Are there certain certificates i have to look for with these massage places
There are no certifications I can think of that would guarantee thorough and painless psoas work. My recommendation would be to look for a massage therapist who seems to be a voracious learner. Someone with thorough knowledge of the body and plenty of continuing education is likely to know how to work with the abdomen and anterior pelvis. Best of luck!
Looks like Pam from the office LOL.
Why does this have such a huge number of dislikes?
I don't think this would be great for ticklish people...
I plan to have a video on working with ticklish clients soon. I think that many of these contacts could be made with the right approach. Thanks for your comments!
Massage Sloth You are welcome! Thank you for the work you do. You are appreciated.
would you do this to someone who is overweight too?
+Graciously Grateful Certainly! While specific work to the psoas might be more difficult to achieve with clients who have more abdominal fat, the broad form of contact demonstrated in the video will work just fine. Direct your pressure down toward the table; while some of that will be displaced outward by adipose tissue and the viscera, a fair amount will interact with the deeper structures. No need, in my opinion, to target that region with too much specificity.
I do like to target iliacus more specifically, which is achievable with most body types. If you displace the client's abdominal fat medially (either with the edge of your hand, or by having them draw their skin medially with their hands), you can sink in with fingertips or the heel of your hand and compress the tissue in the anterior ilia, usually with little tissue in between you and the muscle.
All of that said, I often find that I can accomplish much without directly contacting the anterior abdomen or pelvis at all. It's just an interesting way of offering new stimuli to those regions, and some clients may be more amenable to it than others.
Nice video.
How can i do this to myself? Ball?
Why does this have so many dislikes?
How to do I overcome the fear of bones? Seeing the iliac crest, the clavicles, the elbows, the ankles make me feel sick.
If this is interfering with your ability to live your life (for instance, if you'd like to be a massage therapist, or if it's getting in the way of intimacy), then I strongly recommend seeing a psychologist or other talk therapist. Irrational fear and disgust responses can be extinguished over time, and it's best done under the guidance of a professional.
@@MassageSloth Many thanks.
what city are you based in, in order to receive treatment from you?
Hey there! Ive just recently started working with the iliopsoas and I got soo nervous with my client. He is actually the 1st client Ive worked with and the 2nd time we work this area. I got nervous because I dont feel like I was on it and I dont want to cause harm. While I was working his right iliopsoas his left mid back started to feel some slight pain. And we he got up and moved around his vertebrae did some adjusting...I got a bit worried, thinking that maybe I may have caused this pain? And is it good or bad?! Any thoughts on this? I appreciate your time taken to respond!
Hi Jessica, sorry for the delay in responding! Definitely keep an eye on any pain afterwards, but if you're working fairly gently then you shouldn't have much to worry about. The same with worries about whether you're on the muscle: If you're in the general region and compressing the overlying tissue, you'll be interacting with relevant nerve endings. Be patient with this work, and make changes according to client comfort, and I think you'll have a lot of success with it.
Massage Sloth thank you! I hope all has been well with you! Wishing you bountiful of blessing this new year :)
I’m not sure if you work based on time of a session but wow this was waaaay longer than it should be and you’ve wasted so much time I would of been done with both sides with some breathing and visualization techniques
This does go on a bit long for demonstration purposes, but my interaction with the abdomen does last a long time when dealing with complicated hip/low back pain. While it's possible to sink right into the area, I think that patient contact does a lot of good work here.
Wouldn't her abdomen be softer without her arms raised up?
Aorta on the right side?????????
Where is it?
wow
You forgot to show us how to know if it's the psoas muscle affected positive test or not
🙌💯❤
That guy kinda looks like me shit. It’s like looking in a mirror four years in the future.
Shit, this guy looks and sounds exactly like me what the hell.
Yeah, she's cute!
She kinda looks like Emilia Clarke.
What's with the dislikes? Anybody know?
im tryna watch this before work bit your calm, whispery library voice is giving me anxiety
At around 6 minutes in look at her feet. She has Barbi feet from wearing excessive heels, probably boots. By around 13 minutes you can clearly see a difference!
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