Abdominal Control with Gluteus Maximus Activation Progression
To find this sequence online and see videos of the movements:
Go to www.conservativeorthopedics.com
Find the top menu or click on the 3 small bars to see the menu on your phone and find: Physician Exercises
In that section you will find: Abdominal Control with Gluteus Maximus Activation Progression
The movements below go through various positions to activate your glute without pain
The options to impact any muscle are to:
massage it
stretch it
activate/strengthen it
The movements below incorporate massage and activation options
Always remain short of pain and do not be discouraged if you have a hard time feeling muscle activation the first time you do a movement. Try it for a few days to see if you get better at it before moving on.
The movements below are listed from easier to more challenging with a few variations included to find which option is most effective.
Phase 1: Activate it Try for 5-15 reps of each movement 2x/day….Try one of the following movements or both for a week prior to trying phase 2
Even if it feels tight, the glute is usually more weak then it is tight and over stretching it can be a down fall for some people.
Focuses on maintaining control of the pelvis
This is another good option to work on getting glute activation while keeping the lower back supported
Phase 2: Self Massage: Can be done 2x/day
This can be really helpful in reducing muscle guarding and pain, but you have to be careful not to over do it.
You will feel some sensitivity but ask yourself as you do it and once you have stopped: Do I feel better, worse, or the same as I did prior to doing the movement. If the answer is I feel the same or I feel a little better….then that is good and you should do it. If you feel it is getting worse during the activity or you feel worse after… DO NOT DO THIS ONE!!!!!!It is really helpful for some people but others are too weak/sensitive and it doesn’t help them.
