FT didn’t solve my pelvic tilt issue; it DID help with hip flexor tightness and low back strength. Ultimately my issue was solved with learning to release the iliopsoas and glute medius. Along with strength and stretching work it’s totally licked for me now and I just hit that hip hook about 3 times a week to stay on top of it.
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Any tips how to release them? Just different stretches?
Your iliacus and psoas are primary hip flexors, but they also help stabilize the spine. If they are going into spasm, your core may be weak, so LOTS of core ex’s. Dry needling sounds horrific, but it works well to release the muscles. There’s also a little torture device called The Hip Hook that lets you self-release. Compared to the Pso-Right (spelling?), it seems to work a bit better
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I dont seem to be getting any muscle spasms in my back - just pain.
I’ve now started doing a range of exercises and stretches. I’ve removed my TR plan as well so I’m not trying to fit that in as well 
I’m still going to ride and train - but they will have to fit in around the back exercises and how i’m feeling. Getting faster can wait till I can actually use the power I already have.
I’ve had to pause my XC racing as well which is annoyed me the most. I was really looking forward it this year. Hopefully I can think about racing in a month or so…
I’ve still got some enduro’s todo - but there just a nice day out with mates
@hubba all of that. I linked the Aletha health site above.
As an aside, I had dry needling on my scapula and it didn’t help, but it wasn’t addressing the root cause either so that’s probably why.
Any thoughts on what makes the Aletha product work better than the pso rite? I tried it out after I saw Matt Hanson’s repeated reviews, but found it didn’t get deep enough - opposed to the PsobRite or even a kettlebell handle really drove the appropriate pressure in and caused a relaxation after several minutes
it’s very pointy, and it has a lever arm to let you push even harder
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trust me, I’ve dug into literally thousands of hypertonic (ie high tone, ie in spasm) posases (not a real word). it’s absolutely a source of back pain. outside of herniated disc or arthritic changes/disc degeneration, I’d say it’s one of the most common causes of back pain, esp in athletes
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How can it be that I get back pain only outside? I can hammer 4 hours on the trainer with zero pain but might get pain outside 1 hour into a Z2 ride. Same bike on the trainer and outside. I even have a rocker plate. I guess it has to do with more need for stabilizing things outside but still it’s weird.
The hook shape helps me get it around the hip bone into the iliacus which is what unlocked me. A regular lax ball or psorite can’t do that. The lever arm is key as well, increasing the pressure/dig into that iliacus. Iliopsoas spasm/tightness is common in cyclists (check), runners (check), and people who sit in chairs for long periods (check).
Again, I have no affiliation with them, but Aletha’s product unlocked me and resolved my SI/low back pain.
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Interesting - I may have had a junky/bad product from them. Can still maneuver with the pso rite to nail the insertion on the pelvis without issue
I was about to buy ‘The Set’, and walked by our ‘shelf of random stuff’, and recognized the Mark! She had ordered the whole kit several years ago and didn’t like the way it worked, or didn’t for her. I found all the parts, minus the book, and just their ‘Orb’ rocked!! I hit a response in my right leg that went down into my thigh, and felt great! I used it on the front to release those muscles too, and felt immediate relief. The Orb is not a normal inflatable, it’s really stiff, does not deflate. It started out hurting a little bit but I kept moving it around and hit that spot on the right, and got close on the left. Haven’t used the Mark yet, but I will as soon as I get longer relief.
It worked. I’m grateful. It was getting hard to walk again.
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The combo of the mark and orb (or the ball) is what solved it for me. I use the strap for some strengthening too. The other one for traps is pretty nice if you need it.
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I get the same thing, always right side psoas-area cramping, only outside on the MTB. I think in some cases feedback from the ground? Stabilizing for balance? Slightly different position? For me being more “upright” definitely flares it up–as soon as I get more aero or engage the glutes it goes away. Been working the core to become stronger, for me the “table top” exercise where you are facedown on one knee and extend the other leg and the opposite arm recreates the feeling, especially when I extend that right leg and left arm.
Commonly referred to as “bird dog”. Check out Menachim Brodie’s bird dog progressions for cyclists. Vortex strength.
You can go a really long way with just the Magill “Big 3” core exercises, or variations therein:
- Hollow body hold
- Superman
- Birddog
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Exercises can be helpful for low back pain. Spinal extension helps for me. However, if the solution was as easy as strengthening certain muscles or fixing imbalances, it wouldn’t be the leading cause of disability worldwide.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(23)00133-9/fulltext
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Have you had an xray? I only ask, because a couple of years ago I started experiencing lower back pain (I’m currently 46). Figured I was just getting old. After going to PT, Dr, and finally getting an xray it was revealed that i have a broken back (bilateral pars defect)! Spondylolisthesis. I guess this can be quite common as it doesn’t always show up when it happens. Lots of old folks go in for back only to find out this is why. It’s a nasty injury, no real cure other than surgery. However, i’ve been able to keep it under control for the most part with PT and strength training. Hopefully you don’t have this issue, but if you haven’t had an xray it may be worth looking into.
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I had an ultrasound instead of an x-ray, and they found a ‘cyst’ that started a liver cancer excursion that left me with a surgical hernia and a great case for malpractice that we did not pursue.
No it was not cancer. Yes the surgical resident botched the procedure. Yes the resident also botched the closure. Yes the whole thing was a mess. (It took over 7 months for the incision to finally close) Yes, you DO remember when you get ‘the call’. Yes I have a hole in part of the abdominal sheath that could rupture at any point. (Off the record, my physician thinks they were bored and jumped at the chance to ‘do me’, and it all went sideways. Sometimes specialists aren’t so special) They were looking for something about my hip flexors and found something else. And I should have had a third opinion! I wish I would have passed on the whole goat rodeo, but the surgery wheels started turning… 
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My issues had mostly been on my XC bike - but recently my gravel bike has also caused the same issues.
Weirdly my enduro bike does not cause the same issues - thats most likely as i’m not fixed in a position as much for prolonged periods of time trying to hammer myself.
Just back from an Xray - i’ll get the results in a few weeks.
This is in the UK - so its a gentle pace through the NHS. Hoping its nothing more than a muscle imbalance.
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