Pensacola Gluteus Muscle Weakness Helped by Exercise: Planks

The glutes are for more than just sitting! They need to be strong and supportive to keep us, especially those of us who suffer with Pensacola back pain, walking, balanced, up-right. Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center considers 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 time to discuss them all. Your Pensacola 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 – doing exercises that strengthen those while not using others like the erector spinae and tensor fascia latae is desired. 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 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 after injuries. Side-sling plank with hip medial rotation demonstrated itself better in patients with gluteus medius weakness  but  dominant 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 aspect for back pain sufferers like those Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center takes care of in our Pensacola chiropractic office. Another variation that showed itself superior to the others for strengthening a weak gluteus medius muscle was the side bridge with knee flexion. (3) When glute muscles are weaker than their neighboring muscles, exercises concentrated on activating 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 pick from, allow your Pensacola 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 Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center

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 back pain due to degenerative disc disease who attained relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management that incorporated exercise.

Schedule your Pensacola chiropractic appointment with Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center today. Don’t just sit on your weak glutes. Exercise them, so they can best support you!