Summary
The subject hub for our psoas / pelvic-alignment research. It pulls together two Dr. Ales Ulishchenko videos, the research that backs (and debunks) their claims, and a single evidence-filtered daily routine. Bottom line: the mechanics the videos rely on are real and reasonably well-studied — the psoas is a genuine lumbar-spine stabiliser (Penning, Bogduk), prolonged sitting shortens it and tips the pelvis into anterior tilt, and hip-flexor stretching measurably (if modestly) reduces that tilt. The cosmetic/longevity claims (jowls, bunions, "adrenal exhaustion," reproductive blood flow, "+10–20 years of joint life") are unsupported marketing. The routine keeps only the defensible parts: lengthen the tight hip flexors first, then activate the stabilisers (glute med, QL, piriformis), chase left/right symmetry, and — the upstream fix the videos skip — break up sitting.
Key points
- Two sources, one subject. Video 1 zeroes in on the psoas and two release techniques; Video 2 widens to whole-pelvis alignment across four muscles. Together they're one investigation — hence this hub.
- Psoas is a stabiliser, not just a flexor. Penning and Bogduk reframed it: its many equal-length fascicles attach at every lumbar level and adapt to the degree of lordosis, helping stabilise the spine upright.
- Sitting is the real culprit. Sedentary behaviour limits hip extension; a shortened iliopsoas tilts the pelvis forward and exaggerates lumbar lordosis.
- Stretching works, modestly. ~2.6° more hip extension and ~1.2° less anterior pelvic tilt per session; the payoff shows over an 8-week, 5×/week horizon.
- Free upgrade the videos miss: a 2024 RCT found the half-kneeling stretch done with an active posterior pelvic tilt (tuck the tailbone) significantly out-performs the plain version.
- Lengthen + strengthen, in order. Mobilise the tight flexors first, then activate the stabilisers (gluteus medius, QL, piriformis). Chase left/right symmetry, never push into pain.
- What's NOT supported: jowls, bunions, Morton's neuroma, adrenal exhaustion, reproductive blood flow, "+10–20 years of joint life." Do the routine for mobility and back comfort — not anti-aging.
Fact check
| Claim | Verdict | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| The psoas is a lumbar-spine stabiliser, not merely a hip flexor | ✅ Confirmed | Penning/Bogduk: fascicles at every lumbar level adapt to lordosis; posterior fibres stabilise | Eur Spine J, PMC4011533 |
| Prolonged sitting shortens the iliopsoas and increases anterior pelvic tilt | ✅ Confirmed | Sedentary behaviour limits hip extension; short hip flexors tip the pelvis forward | ScienceDirect |
| Hip-flexor stretching reduces anterior pelvic tilt | ✅ Confirmed (modest) | ~1.2° tilt reduction / ~2.6° hip-extension gain per session; bigger effect over an 8-week program | PubMed 34090549 |
| Adding a posterior pelvic tilt to the stretch makes it more effective | ✅ Confirmed | 2024 RCT: tucked-tailbone version beat the plain half-kneeling stretch | Physiotutors |
| Best results come from lengthening + strengthening, in short frequent bouts | ✅ Confirmed | Evidence-based rehab favours combined lengthen/strengthen over intense static holds | Niel Asher |
| Psoas tightness causes jowls, bunions, adrenal exhaustion, reproductive issues, +10–20 yrs joint life | ❌ Not supported | No clinical evidence; wellness-marketing extrapolations | See per-video fact-checks (entries linked above) |
Related research
| Type | Name | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| entry | Library entry — Video 1 | https://coolshit.co.za/reports/entries/2026-06-14-this-muscle-is-stealing-your-youth-relax-it-now.html | Full summary, key points & fact-check |
| entry | Library entry — Video 2 | https://coolshit.co.za/reports/entries/2026-06-14-if-you-dont-release-the-spasm-in-this-muscle-diseases-and-ag.html | Full summary, key points & fact-check |
Related resources
| Type | Name | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🎥 | THIS MUSCLE IS STEALING YOUR YOUTH! Relax It Now! (Dr. Ales Ulishchenko) | https://youtu.be/NjGb6YYSE3g | Source video 1 — psoas focus + two release techniques |
| 🎥 | If you don't release the spasm in this muscle… (Dr. Ales Ulishchenko) | https://youtu.be/1o9N53sJUYY | Source video 2 — pelvic alignment, four muscles/four techniques |
| 📄 | Psoas muscle and lumbar spine stability (Eur Spine J) | https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s005860000184 | Stabiliser role; PubMed 11189930 |
| 📄 | Spine stabilization by psoas muscle during walking and running | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4011533/ | Psoas stabilisation in gait |
| 📄 | Pelvic tilt before/after hip flexor stretching | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34090549/ | ~2.6° hip ext / ~1.2° tilt reduction per session |
| 🔗 | Best stretch for hip extension mobility (Physiotutors) | https://www.physiotutors.com/research/improve-hip-extension-mobility/ | 2024 RCT — posterior-pelvic-tilt version superior |
| 🔗 | Prolonged sitting and limited hip extension | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2468781220305877 | Sitting → restricted hip extension |
| 🔗 | Iliopsoas tendinopathy — evidence-based rehab (Niel Asher) | https://nielasher.com/blogs/treatment-guides/iliopsoas-tendinopathy-causes-symptoms-treatment-and-evidence-based-rehabilitation | Lengthen + strengthen guidance |
Full content
(click to expand)
1. The two source videos
Both are by Dr. Ales Ulishchenko and were added to the library on 2026-06-14. They're two angles on the same subject, which is why this article ties them together.
🎥 Video 1 — THIS MUSCLE IS STEALING YOUR YOUTH! Relax It Now!
YouTube · Library entry
Frames the deep psoas (iliopsoas) — running from the lumbar spine through the abdomen to the femur — as an under-discussed driver of aging. A chronically shortened psoas tilts the pelvis forward (hyperlordosis), causing a protruding belly, stiff lower back, sciatica, slouching and a forward head. It adds a stress angle (the kidneys/adrenals rest on the psoas) and teaches two self-release techniques: a kneeling hip-flexor stretch with a gentle pelvic rock, and a supine release where you hook the fingers into the iliac fossa and slowly lower the legs while breathing 4s-in / 8s-out. Postural mechanics are sound; the cosmetic anti-aging claims are overreach.
🎥 Video 2 — If you don't release the spasm in this muscle, diseases and aging can develop 10× faster!
YouTube · Library entry
Widens the lens from the psoas to whole-pelvis alignment. A forward-tilted or rotated pelvis unevenly loads the joints; the video maps four muscles to four misalignment patterns — iliopsoas (anterior tilt), quadratus lumborum (one hip hiked up), piriformis (left/right rotation), and gluteus medius (the stabiliser that weakens when the others over-tighten). It gives a mirror self-check plus four corrective moves: a QL stretch + side plank, an edge-of-bed iliopsoas stretch, side-lying glute-med activation, and a supine figure-4 piriformis stretch. The muscle-by-muscle anatomy is accurate; some downstream disease claims are overstated.
2. What the research actually says
Frans asked whether there's real research on this muscle. Short version: the mechanics the videos lean on are real and reasonably well-studied; the cosmetic/longevity spin is not.
- Psoas as a lumbar-spine stabiliser, not just a hip flexor. The classic work by Penning and Bogduk reframed the psoas: its many equal-length fascicles attach at every lumbar level and adapt their contraction to the degree of lordosis, helping stabilise the spine in upright stance. Bogduk also showed it behaves almost like two muscles — posterior fibres stabilise, anterior fibres move the spine. (Eur Spine J · PMC4011533 · Physiopedia)
- Prolonged sitting → short hip flexors → anterior pelvic tilt. A shortened iliopsoas tips the pelvis forward and exaggerates lumbar lordosis — the real mechanism behind the "desk worker's tight psoas." (ScienceDirect)
- Stretching the hip flexors measurably reduces anterior pelvic tilt — modestly. A single passive stretch session: ~2.6° more hip extension, ~1.2° less anterior pelvic tilt. An 8-week program (5×/week) improved hip ROM in footballers with low-back pain. Small per session, accumulates with consistency. (PubMed 34090549)
- A refinement the videos miss: a 2024 RCT found the half-kneeling stretch done with an active posterior pelvic tilt (tuck the tailbone) significantly out-performed the plain version. (Physiotutors)
- Stretch alone isn't the whole answer — strengthen too. Tight/under-active iliopsoas responds best to lengthening plus controlled strengthening; short, frequent comfortable bouts beat occasional intense static holds. (Niel Asher)
- Not supported: psoas tightness causing jowls/facial sagging, bunions, Morton's neuroma, "adrenal exhaustion," impaired reproductive blood flow, or "+10–20 years of joint life." These are wellness-marketing extrapolations (the adrenal/"muscle of the soul" idea traces to Liz Koch, not clinical evidence).
3. The plan — a daily routine
A ~12–15 min daily sequence drawn from both videos, keeping only the evidence-backed parts. Order matters: lengthen the tight stuff first, then activate the stabilisers. Never push into pain; chase left/right symmetry.
A. Self-check (30 sec). Mirror. Fingers on the iliac crests — level? Navel centred? Pelvis straight or rotated/tilted? Note your tighter side.
B. Lengthen — hip flexor / iliopsoas (3–4 min).
1. Half-kneeling hip-flexor stretch on a pillow; pelvis forward, back tall, stretch down the front of the thigh.
2. Upgrade (research-backed): tuck the tailbone under (posterior pelvic tilt) before shifting forward. Hold 20–30s.
3. Gentle pelvic rock ×20. Both sides, extra on the tight one.
4. Optional advanced: edge-of-bed hip-flexor stretch (let one leg hang). Skip if uncomfortable.
C. Release — supine psoas down-regulation (2–3 min). On your back, knees bent. Hook fingertips into the iliac fossa, light upward tension, slowly lower the legs while breathing 4s in / 8s out, releasing on each exhale. Long exhale = parasympathetic (vagal) cue. Stop at any sharp pain.
D. Mobilise — QL & piriformis (3–4 min).
1. QL side stretch (side-lying, top arm overhead, long exhales) alternated with a 10–15s side plank. Both sides.
2. Piriformis figure-4 (supine, ankle across opposite thigh, pull knee in) 1–2 min on the tighter side.
E. Strengthen the stabiliser — gluteus medius (2–3 min). Side-lying leg lifts / lateral abduction, ~15 reps per side. The piece most "psoas" content skips and the evidence emphasises — it holds the pelvis level once the flexors are free.
F. Re-check (30 sec). Mirror again — crests more level? That warmth is just blood flow to activated muscle.
Dosage & expectations. Daily, short and frequent beats occasional and intense (10–15 min/day). Per-session change is small (~1°); the 8-week, 5×/week horizon is where it shows. Pair with the upstream fix the videos skip — break up prolonged sitting. Red-flag back/hip/nerve pain → see a physio, not YouTube.