Ashburn Gluteus Muscle Weakness Helped by Exercise: Planks

The glutes are for more than just sitting! They must be strong and supportive to keep us, especially those of us who suffer with Ashburn back pain, walking, balanced, up-right. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn considers 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 Ashburn chiropractor is focusing on the gluteal muscles in this article. The others will be discussed in the future.

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 activating others like the erector spinae and tensor fascia latae is desired. Side bridge while raising the dominant leg is one exercise that demonstrated its ability to be effective to activate the gluteal muscle and not the tensor fascia latae muscle. (Side note from this study: Back bridge exercise showed itself helpful in strengthening the multifidus muscle.) (1) A modification of side plank is the side-sling plank. Researchers found that it increased gluteus medius strength post-injury. Side-sling plank with hip medial rotation proved 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 Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn care for in our Ashburn chiropractic practice. 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 neighboring 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 activated 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 kinds of exercise possibilities, depend on your Ashburn chiropractor to help pinpoint which of your supportive muscles are weak and decide which exercises - natrual parts of chiropractic care - are best to strengthen them.

CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn

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

Schedule your Ashburn chiropractic appointment with Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn today. Don’t just sit on your weak glute muscles. Strengthen them, so they can best support you!