Have Vocal and/or Pelvic Pain? You May Be Psoas Speaking

November 5th, 2021

This pose of the week is all about how to know if you are Psoas Speaking. This pose of the week can help you identify if your vocal problems could be coming from the pelvic floor, or vice versa. One of the chief ways to tell is by taking a closer look at one of the main hip flexors, the Psoas. People with long-term or ongoing vocal or pelvic floor struggles are often over utilizing this muscle.

What does “Psoas Speaking” look like?

Well, psoas speaking FEELS like pelvic pain, vocal strain, hip tightness and groin and/or back pain, and breathing dysfunction.

If you are a teacher, speaker, therapist, or if your voice is important to you – then this little video is for YOU!

There are between 3-5 diaphragms which influence each other, depending on which scientific theory resonates with you (no pun intended). However, what is indisputable is there are three primary ones, which drive the pressure system which decides whether or not you make beautiful sound (aka speaking or singing) AND whether or not you are continent (control of the bowel and bladder.

The three main diaphragms are:

Vocal diaphragm
Respiratory diaphragm
Pelvic diaphragm

The Three Diaphragms - Are you Psoas Speaking? — reproduced with kind permission from the author, Ginger Garner and Handspring publishing, Ltd. Medical Therapeutic yoga (C)2016, Scotland, UK.

What should you feel when speaking or singing?

When you speak you should not feel the abdominals jumping, tightening, and you should not feel your hip flexors do that either. If so, you could be straining all 3 diaphragms – the voice, your breathing, and your pelvic floor.

These integrative medicine exercises are for developing a more POWERFUL voice, better breathing and stronger lungs, and a happy pelvic floor! Okay, you are ready to practice!