Gluteus Medius – The Answer to your Hip pain?

3D rear view of a female running with knee and hip joint highlig

Hip pain and its Gluteal Connection:

When most of us think about our Gluts, we are most likely thinking about what they look like. Are they firm and round? Do I need to work on them a little more? But how many of us think they may be the cause of my hip pain?

Here at Equilibrium Sports and Spinal in Glen Iris, we are not so much concern about what your Gluts look like. But rather how they function. Your Gluteal strength and function can sometimes be the cause, and the solution to a number of problems. Hip pain, back pain and knee pain can all be caused by a weakness of your Gluteal muscle group.

We have 3 Gluteal muscles. Our big Glut Max – which every seems to focus on in the gym. And our 2 small stabilising muscles the Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus – our forgotten muscles. 

hip pain

Gluteus Medius – The Key!

This small, but very strong muscle is our focus today. Anatomically it sits above the your big Gluteus Maximus and attaches to the hip. The main function of this small but strong muscle is to help rotate the hip inwards and help with taking the leg away from the body (Abduction). BUT, the more important function of this muscles is to stabilise the hip when the opposite leg is off the ground – as in walking. So, with each and every step you take, your Gluteus Medius will be working. 10,000 steps per day, thats 5000 contractions of this muscle- so LOTS!. Which is why its so important to ensure it is strong and active.

Weak Gluts and the consequences!:

Our bodies are very good at protecting and adapting itself. You may have noticed that when you walk or squat in the gym your knees drop inwards. This may be as a result of a weak Glut Medius. You can still perform the activity, but the movement pattern is all wrong and may lead to hip pain, knee pain, or lower back pain. Poor movement mechanics lead to abnormal stress and strain placed on the body, and may lead to an injury. Injuries such as Gluteal Tendonitis or Lateral Hip Bursitis (Outside of the hip pain) are 2 extremely common conditions linked with weak Glut Medius function.

So what can be done?

Having a professional assess your Gluteal strength and function is a great starting point. There is so much that can be done to strengthen this muscle. We often see when this muscle starts to work properly, patients suffering with lower back pain or hip pain often start to see improvements very quickly.

The video below shows a simple technique to start to get this muscle to activate and fire. 

At Equilibrium Sports and Spinal clinic we thrive on helping Glen Iris locals suffering with weak Gluteals. Our Osteopaths service Malvern, Glen Iris, Ashburton, Hawthorn and Caulfield. Book online today, and let us help you turn your weak sleepy gluts into “Buns of steel”!  

Any Questions?

Feel free to email us at [email protected] ,We are also more than happy to chat via our Drift Chat box in the  bottom right hand corner.

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