psoas muscle (C1)
noun phrase
Pronunciation: /ˈsoʊ.æs ˈmʌsl/
Definition
One of two long, thick muscles located on either side of the lumbar region of the vertebral column and extending to the lesser trochanter of the femur, primarily responsible for flexing the hip and stabilizing the spine.
Examples
Many athletes focus on strengthening their psoas muscle to improve their running form and prevent injury.
Sitting for long periods can cause the psoas muscle to shorten and tighten, leading to lower back pain.
During her yoga practice, she carefully stretched her psoas muscle to increase her hip flexibility.
How to Use psoas muscle
- tight psoas muscle (collocation)
- a psoas muscle that is contracted and lacks flexibility — "A tight psoas muscle can contribute to poor posture and lower back pain."
- strengthen the psoas muscle (collocation)
- to make the psoas muscle stronger through exercise — "Pilates exercises are often recommended to strengthen the psoas muscle."
- stretch the psoas muscle (collocation)
- to lengthen and increase the flexibility of the psoas muscle — "Regular stretching is important to maintain the flexibility of the psoas muscle."
Synonyms of psoas muscle
Words with a similar meaning to psoas muscle:
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