YOUR WEAK BUTT COULD BE THE CAUSE OF YOUR BACK PAIN

Is the back pain you are having ‘just back pain’ or it might be possibly because of your weak buttock muscles; the glutes?

In general the back, hips and the stomach all function in unison to hold the body upright and facilitate movement: therefore a problem in one often corresponds with a problem in another area. If you have back or hip pain, it is important to identify and resolve muscle insufficiencies as a result of weak buttock muscles (glutes).

The glutes are everything; they support your core (back muscles) and take part in stabilizing the hip during walking. When these muscles do not work the way they are supposed to, say they are weak; they would not support your pelvis in the right position or stabilize the hip while walking. As a result, wrong muscles will be ‘activated’ and over-contract to compensate for the lack of strength of the glutes.
Thus this compensation will change the walking pattern and you start limping, experiencing pain, muscle spasms and even nerve pain.

Causes of weak glutes.

• Nerve impingement from the back,
• Muscle tightness
• Sitting for long hours
• Inflammation of your nerves;

Treatment.

• In such a case you are always advised to seek consultation of a skilled physical therapist that would do a thorough assessment and treatment by giving strengthening exercises, advice on proper ergonomics.
• Do’s and Don’ts as well as open kinetic chain exercises that will help you progress with your daily workout.

Compiled by//Naomi Wausi//Physical Therapist

Spine health and sports injury clinic