Let’s talk about your glutes
You know, the butt, the booty, the often used peach emoji in technology talk, posterior chain, badonkadonk, call it what you want, but make sure that you’re actually using them right-which a lot of us aren’t!
Your glutes are made up of 3 muscles: gluteus maximus, the most posterior of the group which spans all the way across from the edge of the sacrum to the iliotibial tract. Glute medius which is mostly superficial and can be found on the lateral side and last but certainly not least, we have glute minimus. This muscle is deep to the gluteus medius and it flexes and medially rotates the hip, while the glute max and med are strong extensors and adductors. Because the fibers that pull the femur in multiple directions, glute med could be thought of as the deltoid of the coxal joint. When you complain about a tight IT band, take a look at the glutes. Often times tight hips and glutes are to blame for the IT band causing pain.
When do you use your glutes?
More like when DON’T you use your glutes?! Your glutes are used for just about everything-climbing stairs, running, cycling, skating, swimming, sitting on the toilet, or trying to hover yourself over the toilet at Detroit metro airport when the occupant before you has peed on the seat….(seriously ladies, if you can’t stabilize yourself like that, then you really need to come and see me!)
In addition to the glutes, we don’t want to forget about the lateral rotators of the hip. 2 of the popular “deep six” are the piriformis and quadratus femoris. The piriformis is the only muscle that lies superficial to the sciatic nerve, and a lot of times when people complain of sciatic nerve pain or a literal pain in their butt, often times it’s because of the piriformis being over contracted and compressing the sciatic nerve, which is the longest single nerve in the human body. Your quadratus femoris attaches at the lateral border of the ischial tuberosity and between the greater and lesser trochanter. You use your lateral rotators to keep your pelvis stable while you’re standing, and walking/running/climbing.
What’s with the pain there?
In addition to the glutes being the largest muscle group in the boy, they are one of the most underused muscles in your body. Thanks to a lifestyle of sitting (in your car, at your desk, at home), these muscles are not being utilized. Not only is a lack of activation tied to the dreaded ‘ass-nesia’, but it is also a huge contributor to low back pain, sciatica, knee pain and more? Also, when you activate your glutes, you can reap the benefits of improved posture, tighter abdominals and less pain through the entire posterior chain.
In the Reboot Your Glutes workshop at Michigan Massage and Wellness we will spend 2 hours improving the entire posterior chain as we work through the tissues in the entire glute region, incorporating the Yoga Tune Up® therapy balls as we roll away our aches and pains (and problem areas) while learning how to turn our glutes from the OFF position to ON. Learn how to move more effectively, squat better, stabilize your pelvis, reach down on the floor without risk of pulling a muscle and more.
Join us on Sunday, February 4, 2018 from 10am-12pm in this fun workshop that is appropriate for all fitness levels!
In good hands,
Rebecca Tamm, LMT
