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January 8, 2008
Glute Strengthening
I've discovered a great little magazine called Experience Life. It's filled with all kinds of great articles that address how to take care of yourself while having a busy life. I found an article in the magazine that, unfortunately, is only available in the print edition, concerning glute strengthening. They claim that weak gluteal muscles can lead to anything from low back pain, to hip pain, and even knee pain.
When the glutes are inhibited, a domino effect occurs in the body. " Without the glutes, the psoas muscle, which links the lumbar spine to the legs, jumps in to act as the stabilizer of the body's core," says Laura Keller, MTP, a physical therapist the at the Stone Clinic in San Francisco. "Unfortunately, an overactive psoas can cause a multitude of dysfunctions, especially by compressing the lower lumbar vertebrae in the spine -- one of the more common causes of back pain.
Sitting in a hard chair for several hours during orientation for school yesterday made me aware of my ongoing struggle with back and hip pain. By 11:00 am I was wishing they would make a gift of a stadium "sit-upon" for new incoming students.
It occurs to me, that as we age, many folks find their buttocks disappearing and an unflattering pooch ballooning out at their belly. It's as though your butt has migrated around to the front of your body and no amount of sit-ups seems to solve the problem. If the psoas is overactive, and probably contracted, as described in the above paragraph, then the contents of the abdomen will be more likely to protrude out of the pelvic bowl.
Experience Life recommends quadricep hip extensions (minus the weights) and front lunges to activate and strengthen gluteal muscles. By learning how to activate your glutes, you can not only prevent such chronic pain and injuries, you can also boost your fitness performance. . . Because glutes play an essential role in many athletic activities, you'll also find you're able to run faster, jump higher and lift more.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
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Posted by linda at January 8, 2008 7:45 AM
