Manahawkin 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 us Manahawkin back pain sufferers, walking, balanced, up-right. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center takes gluteal muscle strength seriously, particularly 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 Manahawkin 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 desirable. Side bridge while lifting the dominant leg is one exercise that demonstrated its ability to be effective in activating the gluteal muscle and not the tensor fascia latae muscle. (An aside: Back bridge exercise was helpful in strengthening the multifidus muscle.) (1) A modification of side plank is the side-sling plank. Researchers explained that it increased gluteus medius strength post-injury. Side-sling plank with hip medial rotation demonstrated itself superior in patients with gluteus medius weakness  but  stronger 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 item for back pain sufferers like those Manahawkin Chiropractic Center takes care of in our Manahawkin 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 adjacent muscles, exercises focused 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 reducing the impact of the tensor fascia latae muscles was the clam exercise. (4) With such a variety of exercises to pick from, allow your Manahawkin chiropractor to help isolate which of your supportive muscles are weak and decide which exercises - natrual parts of chiropractic care - are best to strengthen them.

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

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