New Roads 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 New Roads back pain, walking, balanced, up-right. New Roads 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 space to discuss them all. Your New Roads 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 activating 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 effective in activating the gluteal muscle and not the tensor fascia latae muscle. (Side note from this study: Back bridge exercise showed itself beneficial in strengthening the multifidus muscle.) (1) One modification of side plank is the side-sling plank. Researchers explained that it improved gluteus medius strength after injuries. Side-sling plank with hip medial rotation proved itself better for patients with gluteus medius weakness  but  dominant 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 detail for back pain sufferers like those New Roads Chiropractic Center takes care of in our New Roads chiropractic office. Another variation that was described as being 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 adjacent muscles, exercises focused on activating the gluteus max and gluteus medius without involving surrounding muscles like the tensor fascia latae, etc., are vital. One easy exercise that activated the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles while minimizing tensor fascia latae muscles was the clam exercise. (4) With such a variety of exercises to pick from, allow your New Roads 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 New Roads Chiropractic Center

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 attained relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management that included exercise.

Schedule your New Roads chiropractic appointment with New Roads Chiropractic Center today. Don’t just sit on your weak glutes. Strengthen them, so they can best support you!