Juneau Gluteus Muscle Weakness Helped by Exercise: Planks
There is so much more to the glutes than being seat cushions! They need to be strong and supportive to keep us, especially us Juneau back pain sufferers, walking, balanced, up-right. Aurora Chiropractic Center takes gluteal muscle strength seriously, especially the gluteus medius muscle, one of the more prominent 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 Juneau chiropractor is focusing 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 activating others like the erector spinae and tensor fascia latae is advantageous. Side bridge while lifting the dominant leg is one exercise that showed itself to be effective in activating the gluteal muscle over tensor fascia latae muscle. (An aside: Back bridge exercise was beneficial in strengthening the multifidus muscle.) (1) One modification of side plank is the side-sling plank. Researchers found that it enhanced gluteus medius strength after injuries. Side-sling plank with hip medial rotation proved itself superior for patients with gluteus medius weakness but dominant tensor fasciae latae. (2) Side bridge exercises were described to strengthen hip, trunk, and abdominal muscles in addition to being able to challenge trunk muscles without high lumbar compression, an important point for back pain sufferers like those Aurora Chiropractic Center takes care of in our Juneau chiropractic office. Another variation that was described as being 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 activating the gluteus max and gluteus medius without involving surrounding muscles like the tensor fascia latae, etc., are key. One easy 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 so many different types of exercise possibilities, allow your Juneau 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 Aurora Chiropractic 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 degenerative disc disease and back pain who found relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management that incorporated exercise.
Schedule your Juneau chiropractic appointment with Aurora Chiropractic Center today. Don’t just sit on your weak glutes. Strengthen them, so they can support you best!
