Immediate effect of application of the pressure technique to the psoas major on lumbar lordosis.
Takahiro Otsudo, Kazuya Mimura, Kiyokazu Akasaka
PMID 30349172WHAT IT FOUND
Deep pressure on the psoas muscle did not change overall lumbar curve, but it shifted the curve at specific lower spine segments.
The effect was small and seen only in young, healthy men, so it does not yet justify changing manual therapy for back pain.
Key findings
01There were no significant differences in lumbar lordosis in either the psoas pressure technique group or the control group.
02The lumbar extension angle at L4 decreased significantly after the psoas pressure technique compared with both before the technique and the control group.
03The lumbar extension angle at L1 increased significantly after the psoas pressure technique compared with before.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only young, healthy males, so results may not apply to older adults, females, or people with low back pain. The sample size was small (34 participants), limiting the power to detect subtle effects. The pressure was applied to only a small area of the psoas, so the effect of treating other regions is unknown. The study measured immediate effects only, so it is unclear how long any changes in spinal segment angles last. The actual change in psoas stiffness was not measured directly, only inferred from spinal angle changes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the significant change at the L4 segment as evidence that this technique effectively reduces overall lumbar lordosis or stiffness in patients with back pain. The primary outcome was null, and the study was conducted on healthy young men, not a clinical population.