Recently, I have noticed an increase in discussion on how
weak gluteals are linked to numerous injuries. Injuries such as hamstring
strain, knee pain, and low back pain can all be traced back to weak gluteals.
We diligently stretch and strengthen but we all still seem to have difficulty
activating our gluteals…WHY? Well here are some reasons:
We sit a lot!
Nearly all of our daily activities are performed in seated
position. From eating a meal, driving, sitting at a desk at work, to relaxing
on the couch; the majority of day is spent sitting. Additionally, we don’t always
sit up straight. We lean against the couch end, we scrunch up in an airplane
seat, or we squint at our computer screen, all of which leads to imbalances in
our body. From prolonged sitting, the soft tissue
in our glutes becomes desiccated and stagnant making it difficult to recruit
and generate force. Furthermore, the tightness in our hip flexors also
contributes to greater difficulty recruiting our glutes.
In a typical workday, an office worker can sit upwards of
14 hours! Does 10, 20, or even 30
minutes of stretching and strengthening our hips and glutes make a difference?
It depends! If a person’s goal is to walk without pain, 20 minutes of exercise
may help. BUT if a person’s goal is to return to running a marathon, 30 minutes
worth of stretching and strengthening will likely not cut it.
Here’s a video on how to lacrosse roll glutes – One way to
restore the soft tissue is to roll it out. By
applying pressure on the muscle it pushes the stagnant fluid out and upon
release new fluid is allowed in. The process is similar to how a kitchen sponge
works.
Bonus Videos on hamstring!
Is
All Pelvic Drop Really Bad?
When standing on one leg study your hip alignment in a
mirror. When you lift one leg the pelvis drops on the opposite side, it is
an indicator of a weak gluteal in the standing leg. This is called a pelvic
drop. There is discussion that the pelvis must stay level in order to obtain
proper running form because it’s a sign of a strong glute. Current consensus
states that allowing the pelvis to drop can lead to bursitis, ITB syndrome, and
knee pain. However, in order to properly load the glutes, the femur must be able flex, adduct and
internally rotate relative to the pelvis. Allowing the pelvis to drop (hip to
adduct) will actually recruit the glutes. The glutes’ ability to decelerate
tri-plane motion is what actually helps keep us injury-free.
Recent biomechanical research agrees that some amount of hip
drop is acceptable. If one of those movements is lacking it can place extra
stress onto other motions.
The pictures on the left (top to bottom) show the difference
in pelvic drop on the right leg (4 degrees) compared to left leg (8 degrees),
prior to tri-planar stretching and still with symptoms. The pictures on the
right show demonstrate an equal pelvic drop achieved from tri-planar stretching.
This results in the ability to run with minimal to no pain.
My example- I had a slip and
fall injury which took over 4 years to recover from. I saw numerous MDs, had
countless MRIs (often hoping for a positive result, but always coming back
negative) and several injections without any relief. It was noted by fellow
professionals that I had opposite hip pelvic drop, so I took up a regimen of
traditional hip exercises (clams, bridges, etc.) with minimal change. I decided
to look at my own videos and concluded that my injured hip did not have ENOUGH
pelvic drop. Since I started working on hip mobility I have been able to return
to running with minimal symptoms.
So listen to your patient or client and screen the whole
body in a kinetic chain and in all planes of motion.
Do Clam Shells Really Get
You Back To Running
Maybe? Traditional gluteal strengthening exercises such as
clams, hip bridges, leg lifts and planks provide a good foundation. However, in
order to function you must perform
exercises
that replicate the motion you are trying to fix. The traditional exercises are
not authentic to the movement of running. Performing functional exercises in an
upright position are necessary to return to functional strength.
While basic strength exercises are necessary for a strong foundation, functional exercises are equally, if not more, important because it resembles our activity, RUNNING. After a long day of sitting, performing
activation exercises prior to your run helps to stimulate the muscles. Running
requires impact, impact which can injure if our muscles aren’t ready to take
it. Think of activation exercises as something to get the rust knocked off of
your shock absorbers to prepare the muscles functionally for the impact of
running.
To help recruit your gluteals while running, when your foot hit the ground kick the leg back and slightly outwards. Perform this activation exercise during the first couple minutes of running to stimulate the glutes.
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| Clam exercise - does it resemble running? |
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| Lunge with reach - resembles running! |
Please refer to the post on strength for functional exercises.
PLAN
1) Lacrosse ball roll glutes or any other body part.
My pre-workout routine is roll out hip flexors, upper back and glutes. I also
roll my calfs and quadriceps if they feel tight.
2) Make sure your motion in all three planes is
adequate on both sides. Stretching my left hip allows my RIGHT hip to go into
the frontal plane!
3) Perform not only basic glute exercises but functional exercises to gain a good foundation and tri-plane strength. Do activation exercises prior to your run!
