West Des Moines 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 us West Des Moines back pain sufferers, walking, balanced, up-right. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa 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 West Des Moines chiropractor is concentrating on the gluteal muscles this month. 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 – performing exercises that strengthen those while not activating others like the erector spinae and tensor fascia latae is desirable. Side bridge while raising 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. (Side note from this study: Back bridge exercise showed itself beneficial in strengthening the multifidus muscle.) (1) One 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 better in patients with gluteus medius weakness but dominant 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 Executive Chiropractic of Iowa takes care of in our West Des Moines chiropractic office. Another variation that showed itself 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 adjacent muscles, exercises concentrated on triggering the gluteus max and gluteus medius without involving surrounding muscles like the tensor fascia latae, etc., are key. One easy 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 types of exercise possibilities, depend on your West Des Moines 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 Executive Chiropractic of Iowa
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 incorporated exercise.
Schedule your West Des Moines chiropractic appointment with Executive Chiropractic of Iowa today. Don’t just sit on your weak glutes. Strengthen them, so they can support you best!
