Oxford 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 us Oxford back pain sufferers, walking, balanced, up-right. Satterwhite Chiropractic 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 talk about them all. Your Oxford 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 using others like the erector spinae and tensor fascia latae is desired. Side bridge while lifting the dominant leg is one exercise that showed itself to be good 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) One variation of side plank is the side-sling plank. Researchers explained that it increased gluteus medius strength after injuries. Side-sling plank with hip medial rotation demonstrated itself better in patients with gluteus medius weakness  but  stronger 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 aspect for back pain sufferers like those Satterwhite Chiropractic care for in our Oxford chiropractic practice. 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 surrounding muscles, exercises focused on triggering 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 so many different types of exercise possibilities, depend on your Oxford 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 Satterwhite Chiropractic

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 included exercise.

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