Carrolltown 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 Carrolltown back pain, walking, balanced, up-right. Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation takes gluteal muscle strength seriously, especially 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 space to discuss them all. Your Carrolltown chiropractor is concentrating on the gluteal muscles in this article. 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 advantageous. Side bridge while lifting the dominant leg is one exercise that demonstrated its ability to be good to activate the gluteal muscle over tensor fascia latae muscle. (An aside: Back bridge exercise was beneficial in strengthening the multifidus muscle.) (1) A variation of side plank is the side-sling plank. Researchers explained that it enhanced gluteus medius strength after injuries. Side-sling plank with hip medial rotation demonstrated itself better for patients with gluteus medius weakness but stronger tensor fasciae latae. (2) Side bridge exercises were documented to strengthen hip, trunk, and abdominal muscles as well as challenge trunk muscles without high lumbar compression, an important item for back pain sufferers like those Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation takes care of in our Carrolltown 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 concentrated on triggering the gluteus max and gluteus medius without involving surrounding muscles like the tensor fascia latae, etc., are vital. One simple exercise that triggered the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles while reducing the impact of the tensor fascia latae muscles was the clam exercise. (4) With such a variety of exercises to choose from, depend on your Carrolltown chiropractor to help pinpoint which of your supportive muscles are weak and determine which exercises - natrual parts of chiropractic care - are most beneficial in strengthening them.
CONTACT Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Robert Krause on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he discusses 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 Carrolltown chiropractic appointment with Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation today. Don’t just sit on your weak glutes. Strengthen them, so they can support you best!
