ARTICLE
The PSOAS system and the fear reflex
An integrative therapeutic approach
Conny Pulvermacher | BA ( Hons ), MPhil ( Edu ), Dip Cranio-Sacral Therapy , Dip Myofascial Release , Cert IV Remedial Massage
Abstract The psoas system resides at the deep structural core of the human body and is innervated by a complex of somatic as well as autonomic nervous system signals . Effective treatment of the psoas realm , and thus lower back restriction and discomfort , requires a holistic approach which acknowledges and engages with the dynamic interphase between the nervous system , muscles and fascia . This article explores the potential of an integrative approach to bodywork to effectively treat one of the most influential and enigmatic muscular structures in the human body .
Due to its location in the deep core of the human body , the psoas system is not merely a muscular system that responds to somatic motor impulses and provides sensory feedback to the central nervous system ( CNS ). It is also affected by the feedback loops of the autonomic nervous system ( ANS ), and the sympathetic charge of the fear response in particular . This necessitates a holistic approach in clinical bodywork to address the full complexity of the psoas realm .
There is a tendency in the general field of medicine to create simplified models of structures and functions within our human body in an attempt to understand and communicate about them . This is partly due to the fact that for a long time our anatomical knowledge had been gained from the study of cadavers rather than from living and functioning bodies , and partly due to the mainstream view of the human body still being informed by a mechanistic and reductionist perspective grounded in Newtonian physics and Cartesian philosophy .
Thankfully Einsteinian insights have opened a new door for human perception . The paradigms of quantum physics and mechanics make it possible to consider complex relationships within the body with an integrated perspective . 1 These relationships reach far beyond mechanistic reductionism and allow for a more holistic response to human need . An important dimension of this new paradigm is the ever-increasing understanding of the information systems that govern our metabolic functions . 2 The improved
10 | vol27 | no1 | JATMS