Hip Extension

In my post in January I highlighted the effect that our modern lifestyle has on a very important movement of the hip called “extension”. Hip extension (pic 2) is critical, as both a supporting faculty for the spine, as well as the mechanics of human gait.

About 80% of all people report having Low Back pain at some point in their lives (pic 3-5). It is also one of the most costly medical interventions in our society, right behind diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The habitually shortened state of the Psoas muscles (hip flexors) is one of the most central culprits in the lack of mobility in hip extension.

Unlike any of the other muscles in the entire muscular system, the Psoas also interacts with the respiratory system. The main muscle of breathing, the respiratory diaphragm, shares some of its tissue with the Psoas, which essentially means that the health and function of the Psoas intersects with the health and function of the breath, and vice versa. This points to a very interesting relationship between the mechanisms of respiration and the mechanisms of movement. When most people think of movement exercise, they seldom think of the breath. Breathing is however, part and parcel of any movement protocol, and deficiencies within it, correspond to deficiencies in our musculoskeletal system.

Whether by design or accident, our modern educational system has not prioritized teaching individuals about the intricacies of musculoskeletal function, which upon examination would seem deserving of highest regard. The sedentary culture within which we are becoming progressively immersed, is tempting us away from the natural and functional use of our bodies, losing, among other abilities, the muscles necessary to maintain integrity within the lower back. Although there are more factors that influence the occurrence of Low Back pain, the role of the Psoas has a direct effect on the ability for other muscles to perform their job.

The effect that the diminution of hip extension has on the widespread occurrence of Low Back pain, is unequivocal (pic 6 & 7)