Many people suffer from low back and hip pain and don’t even realize how much hip strength can influence these conditions. The hip abductors are one of the most influential muscle groups in the body and are an integral part of your body’s overall health.
What are our hip abductors?
The hip abductors consist of:
- The gluteus medius
- The gluteus minimus
- The tensor fasciae latae
These muscles primarily move the leg away from the midline of the body and help rotate the leg at the hip joint. We do this movement everyday with many simple tasks such as stepping to the side or any lateral movements with hip rotation such as getting out of bed or getting out of the car.
Why is hip abductor strength so important?
Hip abductor strength is critical for proper mechanics during walking, running, standing on one leg and rotating the leg or hip. Weak hip abductors can have a negative influence on proper movement such as walking or standing. Today, people are sitting for longer periods of time and as a results are developing poor posture as well as poor core and hip strength. Furthermore, many of our strengthening efforts focus on linear movements or gluteus maximus strength and don’t incorporate side to side or lateral movements.
Hip weakness is a typical cause of activity-related injuries, especially in runners and cyclists but can also have a big impact on pain correlated to the low back and hip.
How PT can help!
Luckily, hip strength is something that can be improved, which can help reduce injury and related pain. The top benefits of hip strengthening include:
- Improved posture
- Injury prevention
- Improved performance
- Reduced stress on the low back
Strengthening your hip abductors takes time, so be sure to start slowly and progress safely with the help of our staff at LSTC and other professionals.
By Shannon O’Donnell, ATC
