The muscle iliopsoas (lumbar iliac muscle) is a two-part, approx. 4 cm thick, elongated muscle consisting of the large lumbar muscle and the iliac muscle. It is one of the most important muscles in our body.
Approach, Origin, Innervation
Approach: Small trochanter (Trochanter minor) Origin: 12th thoracic vertebra, 1st – 4th lumbar vertebra (Processus costarii) Innervation: N. femoralis, Th 12 – L5To train the iliopsas, flexion of the hip joint must be performed. There is no special device available for this muscle group, so the expander is a particularly suitable form of exercise. The athlete stands upright and fixes the expander at the ankle and behind the body.
Now a movement similar to climbing stairs takes place. The foot is lifted forward and upwards. The continuous increase in the expander’s extension puts progressive strain on the muscles.
A further unintentional contraction occurs when the abdominal cruches are incorrectly executed, if the feet are fixed during execution. Especially for people who do sports regularly and intensively, it is very important that the M. Iliopsoas is extensively tested before each training session. This is the only way to prevent overloading of the muscle fibers and tendons.
Stretching is also the most important measure in the prevention of the so-called Iliopsoas Syndrome. To stretch the muscle effectively, the athlete should stand upright with both knees approximately parallel to each other. The foot of the leg to be stretched should be pulled against the buttocks.
Already in this way the M. Iliopsoas is stretched. However, the stretching can be intensified if the athlete pushes the hip forward. The effectiveness of the exercise can also be increased by aligning the thigh to be stretched backwards.
In addition, there is another exercise that can help stretch the M. iliopsoas effectively. At the beginning of this exercise, the athlete moves into a distinct step position. The thigh to be stretched should be shifted towards the floor. At the same time, the athlete should try to push the hip forward carefully. If this exercise is performed correctly, the stretching of the iliopsoas muscle should be clearly felt.
