What Is the Psoas Major?
The psoas major is a muscle found on the front of the hip that is responsible for flexing the hip, or bending the leg forward relative to the trunk, and laterally rotating the hip, or turning the leg to the outside. Psoas is often used as shorthand for the iliopsoas group, which is made up of the psoas major and iliacus. In some cases the psoas features a division known as the psoas minor. Collectively these muscles are commonly referred to as the hip flexors, although the term may also include other muscles that flex the hip, such as the tensor fasciae latae and the rectus femoris. In a large percentage of the population this muscle can become very short, tight, and overactive, often the result of sitting for long periods.
