Exercises to Strengthen the Gluteus Medius for Hip and Back Pain.
Sep 13, 2021
By now, we’ve all heard the common glute activation advice. Something like:
- “Back pain? Activate the glutes!”
- “Hip pain? Activate the glutes!”
- “World hunger? Activate the glutes!”
When it comes to activating the gluteus medius, the usual prescription is clamshells. Then more clamshells. Ok you did that for a few months, more clamshells!
But no matter how many clamshells you do, you see no difference in your pain. Not only is your pain not getting better, but you don’t even know if your gluteus medius is actually getting stronger. It’s even possible that you might be…wasting your time?
What are the main functions of the Gluteus Medius?
Before we start performing exercises, we must understand what the Gluteus Medius does. The Gluteus Medius has three main functions:
- Hip abduction (bringing the leg out to the side).
- Hip external rotation (rotating the hip out to the side).
- Hip internal rotation (rotating the hip inward).
Gluteus Medius Weakness Tests
I recommend testing the main functions to see if we find any obvious signs of weaknesses. (1) Hip Abduction Assessment - Fire Hydrant
- Should be able to perform 6-8 reps with 3-second holds with relative ease.
- Pay attention to whether you shift too much bodyweight to the opposite hip. This is a sign of weakness.