Augusta Gluteus Muscle Weakness Helped by Exercise: Planks
There is so much more to the glutes than being seat cushions! They must be strong and supportive to keep us, especially those of us who suffer with Augusta back pain, walking, balanced, up-right. Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic considers gluteal muscle strength seriously, particularly the gluteus medius muscle, one of the foremost supportive spine muscles along with the gluteus maximus, tensor fascia latae, lumbar multifidus, external oblique, erector spinae, and rectus abdominus. So many muscles, so little time to talk about them all. Your Augusta chiropractor is concentrating on the gluteal muscles this month. More to come on the others!
FOCUSING ON WEAK GLUTEUS MUSCLES WITH SIDE PLANK OR BRIDGE
When supportive muscles are weak – gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, multifidus and transverse abdominus – performing exercises that strengthen those while not using others like the erector spinae and tensor fascia latae is desirable. Side bridge while lifting the dominant leg is one exercise that showed itself to be good to activate the gluteal muscle over tensor fascia latae muscle. (An aside: Back bridge exercise was helpful in strengthening the multifidus muscle.) (1) A variation of side plank is the side-sling plank. Researchers found that it improved gluteus medius strength post-injury. Side-sling plank with hip medial rotation demonstrated itself superior for patients with gluteus medius weakness but stronger tensor fasciae latae. (2) Side bridge exercises were described to strengthen hip, trunk, and abdominal muscles as well as challenge trunk muscles without high lumbar compression, an important point for back pain sufferers like those Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic takes care of in our Augusta chiropractic office. Another variation that showed itself better than the others for strengthening a weak gluteus medius muscle was the side bridge with knee flexion. (3) When glute muscles are weaker than their surrounding muscles, exercises focused on triggering the gluteus max and gluteus medius without involving surrounding muscles like the tensor fascia latae, etc., are key. One simple exercise that triggered the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles while keeping to a minimum tensor fascia latae muscles was the clam exercise. (4) With such a variety of exercises to choose from, depend on your Augusta chiropractor to help isolate which of your supportive muscles are weak and decide which exercises - natrual parts of chiropractic care - are most beneficial in strengthening them.
CONTACT Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Robert Krause on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes care of a patient with degenerative disc disease and back pain who found relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management that incorporated exercise.
Schedule your Augusta chiropractic appointment with Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic today. Don’t just sit on your weak glute muscles. Strengthen them, so they can best support you!
