Massage Therapist

Answer: A The abdominal aorta is the largest artery of the abdomen and supplies blood to this area. It is the descending branch of the thoracic artery found in the thorax region. It follows the path of the spinal column and is found medial to the psoas muscle. When palpating the psoas muscle, you would palpate through the abdominal wall. The psoas muscle connects to the transverse process of the lumbar vertebra and the lesser trochanter of the femur. It is very common to pick up the pulse of the abdominal aorta, but keep in mind you do not want to directly palpate the aorta. Move lateral of the pulse to safely work on the psoas.