Fort Wayne 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 those of us who suffer with Fort Wayne back pain, walking, balanced, up-right. Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc takes gluteal muscle strength seriously, especially the gluteus medius muscle, one of the foremost 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 Fort Wayne 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 – doing 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 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 beneficial in strengthening the multifidus muscle.) (1) A 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 superior 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 Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc takes care of in our Fort Wayne 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 neighboring muscles, exercises focused on triggering 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 minimizing tensor fascia latae muscles was the clam exercise. (4) With so many different kinds of exercise possibilities, allow your Fort Wayne chiropractor to help isolate which of your supportive muscles are weak and determine which exercises - natrual parts of chiropractic care - are most beneficial in strengthening them.
CONTACT Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc
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 found relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management that included exercise.
Schedule your Fort Wayne chiropractic appointment with Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc today. Don’t just sit on your weak glute muscles. Exercise them, so they can best support you!
