Most of us think only of its role as a hip flexor when it comes to the psoas.

But did you know that your psoas is also closely tied to back pain?

And poor posture can also create psoas tension — which can lead to low back and hip pain?

There are a million and one psoas stretches on the internet – but more stretching won’t help your psoas. Especially if your psoas tension was caused by being overstretched.

The best way to stretch your psoas isn’t just any old stretch – but a dynamic blend of mobility and strength. This exercise is a great way to do just that. 

The psoas runs from the bottom of your ribcage, through the hips and pelvis, and anchors on the inside of your thigh. This is why traditional hip flexor stretches can’t fix a tight psoas.

Gate pose is a great stretch for your hip flexors and will also challenge your oblique strength as you hold yourself in the pose.

Make sure that you are rotating from your ribcage and not just your neck when the time comes – the focus is on increasing the distance between the upper and lower attachments of the psoas, not just rotation.

Check out my video below for the how-to!

Learn more about the psoas in episode 60 of my podcast, The Body Nerd Show: What This Hip Flexor Has to Do With Your Lower Back Pain