The Psoas Solution: The Practitioner's Guide to Rehabilitation, Corrective Exercise, and Training for Improved Function

✍ Scribed by Evan Osar

• Publisher: North Atlantic Books
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 383
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

The first book to comprehensively discuss the function of the psoas in posture, movement, and exercise, The Psoas Solution identifies the functional anatomy, biomechanics, and motor control of the psoas and its role in core and hip stabilization. Integrating research with clinical experience, Evan Osar identifies the psoas's role on the hip, pelvis, and low back and demonstrates how to incorporate the psoas into functional movement patterns including squatting, lunging, and bending. The Psoas Solution includes corrective and functional exercise progressions for improving and integrating the psoas into daily activities. Health and fitness professionals will find this a valuable resource full of applicable strategies and exercises to incorporate into current rehabilitation or training programs. Abundantly illustrated with full-color images throughout, this book also provides most complete review on the relevant research on the psoas available.

For years the psoas has been a muscle mired in controversy. It has been linked to common postural and movement dysfunction including anterior pelvic tilt, hyperlordosis of the lumbar spine, and low back pain. Strategies to improve posture and reduce pain have primarily involved stretching the psoas and strengthening its antagonist, the glutes. However, recent clinical research has revealed that the psoas is much more than a simple hip flexor and plays an integral role in both posture and movement. This professional treatment manual for health care practitioners and students gives an overview of the ways that non-optimal use of the psoas can affect breathing, posture, and movement. It outlines specific treatment strategies that enable patients to develop awareness and utilization of the psoas muscle to achieve three-dimensional breathing and improve balance and body mechanics.

✦ Table of Contents

Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction
Chapter 1
Psoas Attachments
Joint Motion and Centration
Functional Anatomy of the Psoas
Chapter 2
Anatomy of Three-dimensional Breathing
Biomechanics of Three-dimensional Breathing
Pelvic Tilt
Developing Three-dimensional Breathing
Common Breathing Dysfunctions
Chapter 3
Anatomy of the Core
Core Stabilization
Motor Control Training and Corrective Exercise
Happy Baby
Heel Drop
Pull-over
Pull-over with Heel Drop
Modified Dead Bug
Modified Wall Plank
Modified Wall Plank with Hip Flexion
Ball-supported Knee Pull-in
Common Signs of Dysfunction in the Ball-supported Knee Pull-in
Chapter 4
Introduction
Improving Hip Extension During Squatting and Deadlifting Patterns
Improving Psoas and Gluteal Function During Squatting and Deadlifting Patterns
Squat
Split Squat
Split Squat with Elevated Rear Leg
Single Leg Squat
Deadlift
Chapter 5
Introduction
Forward Lunge
Reverse Lunge
Additional Lunge Progressions
Chapter 6
Introduction
Forward Bend
Hip Hinge
Roll-up
Side Bend
Carrying Patterns
Chapter 7
Introduction
Prone Lengthen
Backward Bend
Hip Hinge Bridge
Marching Bridge and Single-leg Hip Hinge Bridge
Hip Thruster
Bird-Dog
Side Lying Iso Hip Extension
Stretching the Psoas
Conclusion
Appendix I: Assessing the Psoas
Appendix II: Neutral Alignment and Postural Assessment
Appendix III: Suspension
Appendix IV: The Pelvic Floor and Its Relationship to the Psoas
Appendix V: Psoas’ Role in Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) and Labral Pathologies of the Hip
Appendix VI: Sitting
Appendix VII: Corrective Exercise
Glossary
Bibliography
Index