It has been all about glutes in the last few weeks in clinic, those, and necks, and I suspect it has been because we have all spent a hell of a lot more time sitting down and looking down since lockdown, and for some of us that is a trend we are still stuck. A lot more people are working from home these days, and often from sofas and dining tables, which offer little in the region of correct support for desk work.
Anatomy first, your glutes are made up of three large muscles:
Gluteus Maximus;
This muscle is the most visible of the glutes and is often the focus of hypertrophy in the glute region. This glute originates on the posterolateral aspect of the sacrum and coccyx, the gluteal surface of the ilium, thoracolumbar fascia and gluteal aponeurosis – yes that’s a wide starting point- and inserts to the greater trochanter of the femur and the Iliotibial Band.
Gluteus Medius;
This smaller but no less important muscle originates on the anterior gluteal surface of the ilium, the gluteal aponeurosis and inserts on the greater trochanter of the femur.
Gluteus Minimus;
The smallest of the glute muscles, as the name suggests, originates on the gluteal surface of the ilium and inserts on the anterolateral aspect of the greater trochanter.
As you can see from the wordy technical descriptions of the origin sites, the glutes have a large area they begin from, but all insert – attach – to a much smaller area in the top of the thigh. Your glutes are responsible for correct pelvic alignment, running propulsion, single leg standing support and they also support your lower back during lifting and prevent knee injuries during running and lifting.
That is a lot of work for the glutes to do, and it is the reason I nearly always massage the glute muscles in clinic because of their importance to both the upper and lower body. They are right there at the central hinge of the body and aid you in standing up from bending over, and they are fantastic at cushioning you when you sit down, they are the largest muscle in the body, after all.
And we must not forget the deeper muscles that lay beneath the glute muscles, which frequently impact the glutes and how they operate; Piriformis, Superior Gemellus, Inferior Gemellus, Obturator Internus, Obturator Externus, and Quadratus Femoris.
Strong or Weak Glutes?
To be honest, this can get a little misleading right now, because I am talking about strong glutes and they were such a buzzword workout a few years ago, leading to people ‘cheating’ their way to stronger looking glutes by wearing enhancing leggings, and in extreme cases, surgery. The reason I say it is misleading, is because it is so easy to become focused on just one body part, thinking that it is the key to better overall fitness. It is not. This article is about glutes, but please do not forget that you need to have a strong whole body, because one strong link in a weak chain means that the whole chain is weak.
And talking of weakness, glutes are susceptible to weakness due to our propensity to sitting down to work, I am sitting right now to write this, as well as sitting for leisure and pleasure, such as watching a film or sitting and travelling to eat dinner out… all the while sitting down.
If you are experiencing a pain or a discomfort from sitting down, or you suspect it is from sitting down, then get yourself booked in for a Sports Massage appointment sooner rather than later. It is easier to resolve a new issue than deal with something longer term.
Thank you for taking time to read this week’s blog – Strong Glutes and Why They Are Important.
Don’t forget to get your next sports massage at www.astralfitness.co.uk. You can use my Booking Link or check out my website for a little further information at www.astralfitness.co.uk
We look forward to helping you.
Chloe & Jen