Knee Pain? How Massage Therapy Can Help
Unfortunately, it would seem that even if one leads an active lifestyle there are still aches and pains that can arise. A major area of concern for both active and inactive people is knee pain which can often be traced back to the psoas muscles. These muscles are your hip flexors and they attach to your lower spine, pelvis and the femur near your sits bones.
The psoas muscles tend to be over-worked, as they are tensed whenever we’re sitting or lifting our legs. I know from personal experience, I’ve had lower back pain arise from these muscles being too tight. A recent medical study written about in this article from the Guardian, suggests that having weak hip muscles can lead to knee pain when being active or from being too sedentary- whichever may be the case. Obviously not all knee pain is related to this muscle being tight- so if you are experiencing knee pain you should consult your physician before pursuing any line of treatment.
From my own experience having massage therapy and chiropractic treatments done on the hips has helped me a great deal with the debilitating pain I was experiencing in my low back. But home care is essential too- stretching the psoas muscles- any hip openers for that matter- is integral to alleviating back pain as well as emotional stress that gets trapped in these muscles.
Another thing I’ve found to be extremely beneficial is integrating a pilates practice into my routine. Pilates focuses on engaging the deep abdominal muscles rather than relying on and overusing muscles like the psoas. The more I’ve been able to focus on isolating my abdominal muscles and letting them do the work, the more relaxed my hips and shoulders feel. Maybe the next massage I get, my muscles will feel less crunchy? One can always hope right?
Related links:
www.thespacevancouver.com (my pilates studio of choice)
