Back pain? Blame the psoas. Seems as if everybody wants to dive headfirst into their psoas at the first sign of trouble with the lumbopelvic-hip region. Perhaps no other muscle is blamed more for causing problems than the psoas. Yes, it is an important stabilizer of the lumbar spine, but it shouldn't be the only one on which you focus. There is another big player on the scene: the iliacus.
Correction
The graph on the front page of the Dec. 16th issue referenced the RAND Corporation's published study, The Appropriateness of Manipulation and Mobilization of the Cervical Spine. The telephone number to obtain a copy of the study was wrong. The correct number is: (310) 451-7002; fax: (310) 451-6915; e-mail: order@rand.org