Fifteen years ago, I was in the middle of attending a year-long massage school program in Vancouver, WA. During my year at massage school, I worked part time at a chiropractor’s office. One technique that I learned in my massage theory class and also had the experience of using at the chiropractor’s office was a pin and stretch technique. Prior to a low back adjustment, that the chiropractor would administer, I learned to pin the client’s muscle in the middle of the glut, on the piriformis muscle, gently with a fist, while simultaneously stretching it by using the other arm to move the leg. This was a very effective technique that seemed to ensure a more successful low back adjustment to the lumbar vertebrae. Now in my fifteenth year of my massage practice, I consistently incorporate this same pin and stretch technique into most massage sessions.
I also encourage my clients to do these same pin and stretch techniques at home, themselves with the use of a tennis ball, to help ease sciatic pain, or to ease general tightness in the hips and/or low back. Recently, I learned that there are balls for this use that can be cooled in the freezer or heated up to aid in increased circulation to the sore muscles and assist in pain relief. Lying on one’s back, place the ball under one hip, with your foot (of the same leg) flat on the ground, the other leg is stretched out completely. Then, rock your knee, slowly to the left and back to the right. You can continue rocking the knee slowly towards your other leg stretched out, to the inside of your body and then away from it. The ball provides pressure to the tight muscles, and simultaneously moving the joint will allow the muscles to lengthen and loosen. Releasing the gluts, muscles in the hips, is a helpful way to ease hip pain and has such an immediate effect, take care not to over do the self massage. Especially, when pain is present, or you are new to these stretches, less than 5 minutes on each side is a good place to start. Go easy, slow and always massage both sides, incorporating deep breathing will increase circulation and relaxation leading to increased pain relief.
In yoga, releasing the hips, with pigeon pose, and with the help of an informed instructor guiding you there, gently, in a series of other stretches, is important. Every instructor will most likely mention the emotions we store in our hips. In an article from January 2019, “The Remarkable Link Between Tight Hips and Your Emotions“, Sara Novak highlights 6 things our tight hips say about our emotions, according to Lindsay Simmons, a Jivamutki yoga teacher and owner of Empower Healing, (https://www.organicauthority.com/energetic-health/tight-hips-and-emotional-health).Inbrief, the six emotional aspects to what we may store in our hips are fearing the future, fearing relationships (romantic and work), emotional and physical trauma (often stemming from childbirth and labor for women), the relationship with the 2nd chakra and often a blocked energy with pleasure, self love and a healthy relationship with one self, and holding onto the past. To read more in depth of Simmons explanation and observations, check out the full article. The psoas (pronounced ‘so as’), often called the iliopsoas, being comprised of two muscles, the psoas major that connects the lower lumbar spine to the femur and the illiacus which connects the hip bone to the femur. The psoas being, physically and structurally, the strongest hip flexor, connecting the spine to the femur, might be a clue as to why the emotional release can be strong as well.
When I work on someone’s psoas, typically it is a therapeutic session where it is a focussed session on relieving low back or hip pain. It takes time to address this deep muscle and normally only integrated into a full body massage when requesting a two hour session. Releasing tight quads, adductors (groin muscles) and then diving into the deeper psoas is effective. Sometimes, I work on these muscles on a massage table. Sometimes I will begin to loosen up these muscle groups on the thai mat on the floor, with the client wearing clothes and then continue the treatment on the massage table. If you have tightness in your hips and low back, a thai massage would be something to consider, as a session is so thorough in stretching these muscle groups and designed to increase circulation to these very deep muscles, often difficult to release in a typical swedish massage on the table. I always try to personalize each session for each client and attempt to achieve a therapeutic response helping each client feel more balanced in mind, body and spirit. Our other practioners at our wellness center offer additional therapies that can equally help one relieve low back pain and achieve a sense of freedom in our core.
A few other stretches you may incorporate into your daily stretching routine at home that will help open up tight hip flexors are a low lunge, pigeon pose and a reclining twist. Consult for detailed instructions and pictures at the same article mentioned above titled “The Remarkable Link Between Tight Hips and Your Emotions“. Remember, even 10 minutes a day or when low back pain begins to show itself is beneficial and better than no stretching.
For further information, please contact Ambrosia Brown at Telluride Wellness Center at 435-260-1122, a mbrosiabrown@g mail.com. She returns to Telluride after the fall off season and will be back for the winter season in the beginning of December. We are located in the Cimarron Lodge at the bottom of Lift 7, next to Carhenge Parking Lot. Wellness is the full integration of mind, body and spirit. We look forward to helping you towards a healthier life.