Psoas and iliacus skill acquisition for strength and stability: a movement session
Session exercises:
Shoe rollover - a variation of a Feldenkrais exercise. Lie on the floor, a shoe on one foot, the other shoe stacked on top of that. Roll over to your stomach without dropping the shoe.
Knee folds - lying supine with knees bent. Find a stable trunk and strong center and bring the knees to tabletop. Touch one foot down at a time, keeping a 90 degree angle with the knee. Only lower as far as you can go without overpowering with the superficial hip flexors or using the lower back.
Psoas activation - Lying supine with knees bent. Place one heel just superior to the other knee, with the opposite hand superior and inferior to the higher leg. Lightly try to draw the higher knee up, resisting with the hand. Imagine drawing the lesser trochanter towards the belly button. Keep the superficial hip flexors quiet.
Quadruped bird dog variation on the yoga block - try to touch the opposite hand and knee together under the midline.
Femoral head suctioning with a partner - One person lies supine flat. The other person GENTLY offers light traction to one leg. Person lying down tries to suction the leg back into the socket. Very minimal movement!
Prone series -
Lying prone, find neutral spine. First gather your “shishkabutt” - imagine a shishkabob skewer going through your greater trochanters. Try to draw everything on the skewer closer together.
Then lift one leg into slight extension, keeping the pelvis neutral, activating only the hamstrings.
Then lift one leg activating first shiskabutt, then hamstrings and glutes, pivoting around the skewer.
Stand in a lunge and work on suctioning the back leg into the socket.
References:
1.Phillips C. Stability in Dance Training. 2005;9(1):24-28. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1089313x0500900105
2.Grossman G, M. Virginia Wilmerding. The Effect of Conditioning on the Height of Dancer’s Extension in à la Seconde. Journal of dance medicine & science : official publication of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science. 2000;4(4):117-121. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1089313x0000400401
3. Dondin M, Baeza-Velasco C. Joint Hypermobility and Fatigue Are Associated With Injuries in a Group of Preprofessional Ballet Dancers. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science: Official Publication of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science. 2023;27(2):80-86. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1089313X231177173
4. Nolton EC, Ambegaonkar JP. Recognizing and Managing Snapping Hip Syndrome in Dancers. Medical Problems of Performing Artists. 2018;33(4):286-291. Accessed February 15, 2024. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48714385
5. Gibbons S. Assessment and Rehabilitation of the Stability Function of Psoas Major. SMARTERehab. Published January 2007. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262912734_Assessment_and_rehabilitation_of_the_stability_function_of_psoas_major
Just released -
"Pilates for the Hypermobile Population" online, on-demand course
IADMS members get 10% off with code "IADMS24" (please do not share this code!)
Contact:
@jennifer.milner
+1-917-689-7240