The Absolute Best Psoas Muscle Stretch for Tightness: Dr. Ekberg's Guide to Proper Technique

Dr. Ekberg presents a precise method for stretching the psoas muscle, a powerful hip flexor frequently shortened by prolonged sitting. He highlights the anatomical complexity of the psoas, noting its attachment across two joints (thigh, pelvis, and spine), which makes it challenging to stretch effectively. The core argument is that achieving proper pelvic alignment—specifically tilting the pelvis back and flattening the spine—is paramount for isolating and stretching this muscle, contrasting with common, less effective approaches.

A key distinction made is between the common mistake of arching the back during a psoas stretch and the correct technique. Dr. Ekberg explains that arching the back, while often perceived as deepening the stretch, actually reduces its efficacy on the psoas. Instead, the focus must be on engaging the core to flatten the back and tilt the pelvis, ensuring the stretch targets the intended muscle at the front of the hip. This nuance underscores the importance of understanding biomechanics over simply feeling a stretch.

Practical recommendations include performing the stretch on an elevated surface like a couch or bed, maximizing the distance between the front of the back leg and the body, and holding the stretch for 10-15 seconds. An advanced technique involves an isometric contraction: pushing the knee down into the surface for ten seconds, then relaxing and deepening the stretch. Dr. Ekberg also advises stretching both sides, with a specific recommendation to start and end with the stiffer side for optimal results.

This episode implicitly addresses the widespread musculoskeletal issues stemming from sedentary lifestyles, offering a targeted, evidence-based approach to improve hip flexibility and overall posture. By demystifying the proper technique for a crucial muscle, it contributes to broader discussions on preventative health, ergonomic awareness, and empowering individuals with practical knowledge for self-care and physical well-being.

The psoas muscle is the hip flexor it's one of the strongest muscles in the body but it also gets very often short due to all the sitting that we do.

it's difficult to stretch because it crosses two joints it goes from the upper portion of the thigh half of it attaches to the front of the pelvis and the other half attaches to the spine

in order to stretch it properly we need to tilt the pelvis back and flatten the spine otherwise we're not really getting at the muscle

the trick here is to get the the front of the back leg separated as far as possible and then do not arch the back

the trick is to tilt the pelvis pull in your stomach and flatten the back so that you get the straight stretch at the front of the hip

to a lot of people when you drop your back and arch it like this they think that they're stretching it more but they're actually stretching less

the difference is tilting the pelvis and flattening your back and then you just hold that for 10-15 seconds at a time

what you can do is push the knee this mean down into the table and you hold that contraction for ten seconds and then you relax and you stretch it some more

always do it on both sides but if one side is much stiffer then you start and end with that side