The Fascia-Psoas Connection: Healing from Deep Within

The Fascia-Psoas Connection: Why It’s Essential for Your Health

How do you begin discussing one of the most impactful muscles for both men and women? The psoas muscle has captivated our team’s attention for years, and for good reason.

Think about a time you were deeply in love, head over heels, only to have your heart broken. What did your body do at that moment? Did you stand upright with perfect posture? Most of us didn’t. Instead, we curled inward at the spine. This reflexive reaction isn’t conscious; it’s programmed by thousands of years of defense and survival, shielding vital organs and putting the body in a protective position. The primary driver of that curling motion? The psoas muscles.

Now, consider how many of your last five years felt overwhelmingly stressful. What about the last ten? Modern life piles on plenty of sympathetic nervous system stimulation. The logical conclusion is that many of us have tight psoas muscles, keeping our posture compromised for years on end. 

That compromised position can create a host of problems. It affects overall posture, disrupts gait cycles, influences foot strike and pelvic tilt, and may even contribute to digestive issues or restricted blood flow. It also impacts crucial organs like the kidneys and reduces the lungs’ capacity to expand. While it might sound dramatic, this is our core thesis: a tight psoas isn’t just another muscle issue; it’s a serious concern that should be addressed first on the path to improved health. 

Personally, I’ve never worked on my abdominal region—including the psoas area—and walked away feeling worse. In our in-person seminars, I often joke that if your ear hurts, you should work on your stomach. But it’s really no joke at all. After years of experience, I’ve learned that to make lasting changes in the human body, you simply can’t ignore the psoas and surrounding fascia. So yes, we’re laying it on thick: good health starts in the fascial system and runs straight through the psoas and stomach. The question is: how to release the psoas muscle at home and begin truly effective self-bodywork?

 

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How to Release the Psoas Muscle at Home: A Step-by-Step Guide

We’ve been teaching people how to perform psoas self-massage and abdominal self-bodywork for well over a decade, yielding incredible results along the way. We do realize it’s somewhat taboo—especially because we encourage individuals to do this psoas self-release themselves. We’ve heard every concern: “What if those are my organs?” “What if I’m pregnant?” “What if I’ve had a hernia?” Of course, special conditions require professional consultation, but for the general population without major restrictions, these techniques can be a game-changer.

 

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Tools You’ll Need for Effective Psoas Self-Massage

Starting with our Foam Ball is ideal, but not necessary. You can use a medicine ball, or even a basketball. We need a ball, preferably one that’s firm. You’ll place the ball on your lower belly, then lie directly on top of it. 

It will likely feel uncomfortable at first, and that’s normal. For the first few sessions, focus on deep breathing. Each time you inhale, challenge yourself to push your abdomen off the ball using only your breath. Easier said than done, but this is the work. We recommend five minutes of this breathing exercise, three days a week to start. 

Once you gain confidence and realize you won’t “rupture a kidney,” you can increase the time spent on the ball. Keep focusing on your breath: inhale and push away from the ball, exhale and let the ball sink in. 

As you get more comfortable, roll around gently to find sore or tight spots. Breathe into those areas until the discomfort subsides. While you’re not directly targeting the psoas muscle every single moment, we’ve found that this introduction to psoas self-massage releases overall tension in the abdominal region, paving the way for more specific psoas-focused work later.

 

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Psoas Pain Relief: The Benefits of Releasing Tension in the Stomach Area

Remember, this is only the beginning, but it’s an incredibly powerful first step. Releasing tension in the stomach area can have a ripple effect throughout the body. If you’re on a quest for psoas pain relief, improved posture, and enhanced mobility, this foundational practice is an excellent way to start addressing the psoas. 

By learning how to do self-bodywork at home, you take ownership of your own health, one breath at a time.