Psoas Exercises for Running

The majority of today's population spends large amounts of time sitting at work and at home. This can be problematic for the average person, but if you're a runner, it can be hazardous and wreak havoc on your routine. Constant sitting often leads to shortened and weakened psoas muscles, which in turn can result in an inefficient running stride and injury if not corrected. Regularly including psoas exercises into your running routine can help lower your risk of injury and improve your running efficiency.

  1. The Psoas

    • The psoas is a long, thick muscle in the front of the hip that runs from your lower spine to your femur to connect your upper body to your lower body. The psoas works with the iliacus muscle, together known as the iliopsoas, to flex your hips. While running, the psoas muscle contracts every stride to lift your knees. This could add up to several thousand contractions in the course of an hourlong run, putting the psoas at risk for an overuse injury if not properly conditioned.

    Psoas Strengthening Exercises

    • Strong psoas muscles are important for every runner, especially when working to improve speed or distance. Strengthening the psoas will not only help reduce risk of injury in the muscle itself but will also go a long way to keep your knees and back healthy as well. To strengthen the psoas, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends performing at least one set of eight to 10 repetitions of exercises that target the specific muscle group. Add strengthening exercises into your routine on three nonconsecutive days per week. Some effective psoas strengthening exercises include the hanging leg raise, cable leg raise, squats and lunges.

    Psoas Stretching Exercises

    • Unlike strength training, stretching can and should be done daily if not several times throughout the day. While it will take some time, regular stretching will help get your psoas back to its natural length and also help open your stride and reduce pain and tightness in your low back and hips. To get the most out of your stretches and avoid injuring yourself, perform flexibility exercises only after you've adequately warmed up your muscles. Dynamic stretches are an efficient way to activate the muscle fibers while also stretching. Leg swings and lunges are both examples of dynamic stretches for the psoas. Static stretches should be done after a warmup and each position should be held for at least 30 seconds. The kneeling hip flexor stretch and warrior pose will effectively target the psoas.

    Considerations

    • Psoas exercises can go a long way to improve your running performance and reduce your risk of injury. However, it's important to keep in mind that for that small amount of time you spend working the muscle, you spend a much greater amount sitting. Be aware of how much you sit whether you're at work or at home and make it a point to get up and move around. Take a quick walk around the office every 30 to 60 minutes. Taking the stairs is not only great cardio but also a killer workout for your psoas muscles.