The Thai Bodywork monthly Thai Massage Newsletter

Thai Bodywork publishes an informative monthly newsletter about Thai massage and other bodywork topics. Each issue contains educational articles about Thai massage and Clinical Thai Bodywork, training schedule updates and loads of useful information.

To Subscribe, please provide your email address below:

Previous Issues of the Thai Massage Newsletter

• Volume 1: Psoas Stretches
• Volume 2: Backbends
• Volume 3: Developing Confidence as a Thai Massage Therapist
• Volume 4: HandsFree Thai Massage

Articles by Chuck Duff

Psoas Stretches - An Introduction

Thai massage employs many variations of the psoas stretch, an important and therapeutic treatment. The Iliopsoas is a poorly understood muscle that is often responsible for back pain, groin pain, pelvic rotation, postural imbalance and vertebral rotation in the lumbar spine. It is very important that the psoas is free of trigger points and in balance with the opposite side as well as opposing muscle groups.

You should suspect psoas involvement when the client reports a vertical pattern of pain on one side of the lumbar spine. The lower tissues of the psoas and the associated iliacus produce symptoms in the groin area.

The psoas is a unique muscle in that it passes from the lumbar spine, wraps around the front of the pelvis and attaches at the lesser trochanter at the top of the femur. Its responsibilities include flexion of the thigh and pelvis, lateral rotation of the thigh, and postural support (part of the "core muscles"). Stretch for this muscle always involves extension of the thigh at the hip and/or pelvic/lumbar extension. Full stretch of the muscle tends to be a whole-body experience because the psoas crosses both the lumbar joints as well as the hip joints.

The Northern style sequence of Thai massage has many psoas stretches. Pure psoas stretches are first introduced in Level 2 (Southern Method) in the Half Locust Asana. Psoas stretches are a relatively advanced technique for several reasons. The practitioner must know how to position herself for varying body types, flexibility and the safety and comfort of the therapist. Because the therapist usually has control of the leg and perhaps the upper body as well, proper body mechanics are essential for the safety of both parties.

Properly performed, Thai psoas stretches are a wonderful release that can bring a return of balance to the body and can free the client of nagging pain. Psoas stretches figure prominently in Thai Bodywork's Level 3 Northern Style training (coming up in June, 2006), as well as the Northern Style DVD and the Clinical Thai Bodywork series. It is very important to learn these stretches from a qualified teacher.