You’ve come to realize that there’s so much emphasis on the glutes that it’s hard to figure out what actually makes them important. We’ll set some of records straight this month as we dive more into the glutes, but first a little review:
Your glutes are composed of 3 gluteal muscles: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus.
Function
If you look at gluteus maximus’ architecture, its fibre direction is ideal to provide hip extension, external rotation, and abduction. Structurally, the gluteus maximus is the largest of the 3, and because it has the largest cross-sectional area in your body, its arguably the strongest muscle in your body.
Gluteus medius and gluteus minimus provides hip abduction, and external rotation (when the hip is flexed), and internal rotation (when the hip is extended) and but more importantly, we see both muscles as valuable pelvic and lower body dynamic stabilizer–they level the hip as the body is in single leg stance. They help to also stabilize the head of the femur in the acetabulum by tightening the capsule and applying pressure on the head.
Note: Are you an athlete or a weekend warrior living in Oakville or Burlington and you know you do not perform at your peak? Check with our physiotherapists from the Oakville and Burlington physio clinics.
So what?
Your glutes hold an integral part, in stabilizing your hips. Our everyday movements come from the hips: walking, running, picking things up from the ground, sitting up from a chair, etc. So it makes sense that if a disruption occurred in our mechanics due to the inhibition of the glutes, injury would be sure to follow. We commonly see hip pain and low back pain due to gluteal problems, but a plethora of injuries occur when such an integral part of the kinetic chain is affected. Functional Stability Training of the Lower Body are a few exercises that address stability of the glutes and the core as we move in sport or in daily activity.
It’s important to come seek out your Sheddon physiotherapist in Oakville or Burlington for advice if you’re experiencing any kind of problems or pain affecting your daily activity or in your sport. Functional Stability Training of the Lower Body is tailored to you for an individualized workout program. Contact us at (905) 849-4576.
Anson Ly, B.Kin | Health Blog
For more info, contact Sheddon Physiotherapy and Sports Clinics in Oakville and Burlington at 905-849-4576.
We are located less than 10 min from Sheridan College Oakville and 4 min West of Canlan Ice Sports.
The Burlington physio clinic is located only 5 min west of Spencer Smith Park and 6 min north-west of Burlington Beach, on Plains Rd East.