Ideas for psoas stretching/releasing... for diaphragm also

[ravin_lunatic]

Hi-
I have had chronic fatigue for many years and on my own have healed many aspects of this. I just was not getting help. But I also recognize I have very old emotional issues. I am a psychotherapist by training but at the moment have not been working as much as I have been trying to get well and because one of the symptoms I've had many years is panic attacks. I have read in a number of places the relationship between the psoas and panic even from a bodywork person who had them..... with the tightness in the upper ab area, which is my manifestation as well.
I have done quite a bit of reading and its pretty clear that the psoas is the culprit (tilted pelvis, some lower back but mostly in upper ab as I describe below) and I also recognize the significance of the psoas and unresolved and unconscious emotion.
I am not in a position to see a bodywork person right now so am looking for ideas of what I can do on my own to work with the psoas. I sure wish I had the money to, but things are tough right now.
I currently do a few things but want to make sure I am on track. I do a few stretches and some visualizations and a variety of emotional release energy modalities.
One problem is that because of the blocked area in the base of sternum area from the tight psoas its easy to do much because when the adrenals get stimulated... the adrenal energy comes upward into that area at the base of sternum and it can be unpleasant. This has been slow because of that. I want to open the muscle but not create too much stimulation for now until things are more open.
Hope that all made sense :}
thanks for your help
I think info on diaphragm release (yoga or other ideas) would be helpful as well as one responder has suggested.
Sam

 

[You Fat Bastard]

Ideas for psoas stretching/releasing

Hi Sam,

Welcome to the board. I am a long time yoga lover myself. And there are a few poises that come to mind that may help you. Up dog or cobra will help to open your core. Dancer is a great balancing poise that also has a lttle back bend and if you pull your tail to the ground the posas will also be stretched.

These are just a few to get you started. And I am sure there will be others on the board that could help

 

[Spring]

Ideas for psoas stretching/releasing

Yoga is a great idea for some gentle stretching. Try going to http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/169. It has 4 pages worth of poses and stretches for the ilio-psoas, beginning with the most gentle and non-strenuous, then you can move on to each of the next ones when you feel ready.

For long-term results, I recommend doing some abdominal strengthening and stretching exercises that will counter balance the tight psoas (when you feel ready of course). Pelvic re-patterning exercises will help the poor low back posture associated with a tight psoas (and any low back pain if you've experienced that). One pelvic exercise can be found at http://www.gamespeed.biz/images/RepatterningExercises.pdf called Pelvic Clock on the second page. It will re-train the way your muscles move so you not only improve your standing posture, but help with your movement as well.

Good luck!

 

[t12_incomplete]

Ideas for psoas stretching/releasing

The Psoas Majors (a good share of people don't have a psoas minor, due to evolution) most proximal attachment is t12-l5, not near sternum. That problem may be a diaphram that needs release work. Psoas tightness is usually felt more in lower abs and groin area, as well as low back, because of other muscles involving themselves. A very simple psoas stretch is to lie on your back on table (if you have one), or your bed, way over to edge. And hang the leg of the affected side off the table. FEELS GREAT EITHER WAY. But I would consider diaphram release work. It could also be a host of other issues, but these are good starts. Yoga is great no matter what.

 

[Jill Kim]

Ideas for psoas stretching/releasing... for diaphragm also

There are some things on youtube from other therapists. I am not big on learning as a therapist from Youtube, but for someone looking for self-help, it is an inexpensive alternative. I know you said money is tight, but if you can find a great therapist, that knows diaphragm release work, one session can provide a lot of relief. In the meantime, I did look on Youtube for you, and as someone that does diaphragm work, they are good videos, that for self-help will probably suffice. Try this one first, it seems the most gentle to start with. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWTuDVT-w4w

Good luck, let us know

 

[Julieann]

Ideas for psoas stretching/releasing... for diaphragm also

Another psoas video from youtube you may find helpful - http://www.youtube.com/user/osteopathscotland#p/u

And this one which is regarding a treatment (called Mickle Therapy) relating to Chronic Fatigue & Fibromyalgia as well as how it relates to the mental/emotional states & the hypothalamus being overactive & causing the systems of the body to be overworked - its a fascinating talk: http://www.youtube.com/user/mtyrsi77#p/a/u/1/sFB-gpWZYM0

Also, you may want to consider using acupressure as another way to deal with the anxiety issues:

Jin Shin Jyutsu is a form of it - although the instructors do not like to see it referred to under that term - as confusion over various types of modalities can be an issue. From the ancient asian perspecitve we consider both the Bladder & Kidney Meridians (energetic pathways in the body) to relate to fear & anxiety. As such you could look up where they are in the body & work on the related acupressure/acupuncture points - which will help to calm the body, mind & spirit.

There are books such as the JSJ one: The Touch of Healing by Alice Burmeister, or this one By Michael Reed Gach, PH.D. with Beth Ann Henning, DIPL. A.B.T. Acupressure for Emotional Healing both of which I would highly recommend - along with looking at your diet & cutting back on sugar & massageplanetfeine and adding
a good B complex along with Magnesium for their calming effects.

I hope you find this helpful & will be feeling more balanced each day. Best wishes on your healing journey.

 

[Che M]

Ideas for psoas stretching/releasing... for diaphragm also

My impression is that you are jumping to conclusions and casting too small of a net. From what you have shared so far, I agree that your psoas may be a part of the issue, but ONLY part of the issue. Same goes for the diaphragm. I am also concerned about the possibility of pelvic torsion, which I see frequently, and that may need to be resolved prior to everything else.

When addressing the psoas, also consider the possibility that iliacus may be as bad or worse. Movements/stretches intended to lengthen psoas need to be modified to adequately lengthen iliacus. With anterior pelvic tilt, you can be assured that rectus abdominus is affected, and I'd expect to find significant tender spots and possible trigger points at the upper attachments around the lower sternum and costal arch. Your diaphragm may need attention, but it may simply be a victim of your tight/short pectoralis major and minor (especially minor) and upper intercostals.

Habitual shallow breathing tends to be the norm when your shoulders are rounded and your head is projected forward. Do you also tend to clench/grind your teeth? How about headaches? My guess is that we'd find significant tenderness in your lats and infraspinatus too, both of which internally rotate the shoulders, further hunching you and restricting your breathing. When freedom of breathing is restricted, you are always at risk of an adrenal dump in response to perceived threat, real or imagined. I learned this the hard way... and also learned to overcome it.

Fiddling with loosening your psoas and diaphragm alone will not give you the results you desire. Instead, take a full-body approach to reclaiming your natural right to stand upright and breath freely and calmly. Bodywork is great and can help. A comprehensive program of targeted stretching may also help. However, I feel that the easiest, most time-effective approach to self-help for you would be a simple program of daily mobility and breath drills, with yoga and bodywork to supplement them.

There are many products on the market, but the only one I know of that may meet all your (initial) needs is this one: Intu-Flow, available online here: http://www.profcs.com/app/?Clk=2134591. I've used it for years, recommended it hundreds (thousands?) of times, and still stand by it. Practice it daily for a month and see what changes you experience. Do yoga too if you like; Intu-Flow is a perfect warmup/cooldown for yoga practice. I used to teach it as a part of my yoga classes, and it helped everyone, even the advanced practitioners.

Have fun with it!

Hi-
I have had chronic fatigue for many years and on my own have healed many aspects of this. I just was not getting help. But I also recognize I have very old emotional issues. I am a psychotherapist by training but at the moment have not been working as much as I have been trying to get well and because one of the symptoms I've had many years is panic attacks. I have read in a number of places the relationship between the psoas and panic even from a bodywork person who had them..... with the tightness in the upper ab area, which is my manifestation as well.
I have done quite a bit of reading and its pretty clear that the psoas is the culprit (tilted pelvis, some lower back but mostly in upper ab as I describe below) and I also recognize the significance of the psoas and unresolved and unconscious emotion.
I am not in a position to see a bodywork person right now so am looking for ideas of what I can do on my own to work with the psoas. I sure wish I had the money to, but things are tough right now.
I currently do a few things but want to make sure I am on track. I do a few stretches and some visualizations and a variety of emotional release energy modalities.
One problem is that because of the blocked area in the base of sternum area from the tight psoas its easy to do much because when the adrenals get stimulated... the adrenal energy comes upward into that area at the base of sternum and it can be unpleasant. This has been slow because of that. I want to open the muscle but not create too much stimulation for now until things are more open.
Hope that all made sense :}
thanks for your help
I think info on diaphragm release (yoga or other ideas) would be helpful as well as one responder has suggested.
Sam