06/06/2026
💜 The 3 P’s of Stability: Piriformis, Psoas & Pterygoids
One of the concepts that fascinated me when learning from John Barnes was what he called the “3 P’s”:
✨ Piriformis
✨ Psoas
✨ Pterygoids
These are powerful stabilizing muscles located in different regions of the body, yet they are deeply connected through the fascial system.
When the body loses alignment due to trauma, injury, repetitive stress, compensation patterns, emotional stress, birth trauma, scar tissue, or fascial restrictions, these muscles often work overtime trying to keep us upright and functioning.
A simple way to assess them is to notice if they are:
🔥 Hot
🪨 Hard
😖 Tender
If so, they may be working much harder than they were designed to.
The body is incredibly intelligent.
When stability is lost somewhere, it will recruit other structures to compensate.
Over time, this can contribute to:
✨ TMJ symptoms
✨ Jaw tension and clenching
✨ Neck pain
✨ Headaches
✨ Low back pain
✨ Sciatica
✨ Hip pain
✨ Pelvic imbalance
✨ Breathing restrictions
✨ Nervous system dysregulation
The pterygoids help stabilize the jaw.
The psoas helps stabilize the spine, pelvis, and core.
The piriformis helps stabilize the pelvis and hip.
But often the problem isn’t the muscle itself.
The muscle may simply be responding to deeper fascial restrictions elsewhere in the body.
This is why in John F. Barnes Myofascial Release we don’t just chase symptoms.
We look for the source of the restriction.
When the body regains balance, these stabilizers no longer have to work so hard.
The goal isn’t stronger compensation.
The goal is freedom.
💜 Sometimes the muscle that’s screaming the loudest isn’t the problem—it’s the messenger.
Rowena Cua 💜
Expert JFB Myofascial Release Therapist
Trauma Informed Healing
www.bodymfr.com
