The gluteus maximus is the largest of a group of three gluteal muscles, including the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus.  These three gluteal muscles act together to provide stability and to produce mobility of the trunk and the legs in order to enable functional movement of the body. 

One of the most common problems associated with deficits in the gluteal muscle structure is the development of low back, hip, and knee pain.  This can occur as a result of inactivity or weakness of the muscles which render them powerless to carry out their stabilizing function.  In some cases, people inadvertently utilize the thigh muscles to conduct the functions of the gluteal muscles.  In this situation it is a challenge for the person to recruit the horsepower that strong gluteals could provide them.  Working on building gluteal strength could assist them in gaining success in athletic activity as well as reducing pain. 

Strengthening the gluteals is important if you have experienced any type of pain or discomfort your low back, hips, or knees due to inactivity or because there is an imbalance between your gluteal muscles and the muscles of your thigh.  Building additional strength in the gluteals will enable them to stabilize the upper and lower body at ease while allowing other muscles to do their job.  A correct application of muscle structure and mechanics will help reduce and eliminate low back pain, hip pain, and some knee pain. 

If you would like to rebuild strength in your back and hips, we can aide you by creating an individualized exercise plan to strengthen your gluteals based on your specific activity needs.  We will assess the current status of your muscular strength and muscular balance and recommend and exercise plan.  Our support through the process will enable you to get back on track to meet your specific goals.   

Sciatica refers to inflammation of the sciatic nerve, a nerve that exits the back and travels down the back of the leg even down to the foot.  When this nerve is inflamed the pain experienced can be described as sharp, shooting, burning, tingling, and even numb.  This nerve can become inflamed for many reasons, however, symptoms of sciatica stem from irritation at the level of the spine - usually from a disc herniation or due to tightness of a deep hip muscle known as the piriformis.  

Although this pain can be severe and disabling at first, there are many treatments you can try at home to manage the symptoms of sciatica.  The main treatment philosophy is to alleviate pressure on the nerve.  The best way to determine what exercises are right for you is to first recognize what make your sciatica worse. 

Acute Sciatic Flare Up

• Rest 1-2 days with only light activity such as stationary biking
• Ice low back with legs up on a chair for 15-20 minute intervals

Sciatica Symptoms Worse With Bending Forward or Prolonged Sitting

• Try to lie on your stomach - if this does not make your symptoms worse, try to press up onto your hands, keeping your hips on the bed/floor
• If your leg symptoms decrease try doing 10 slow repetitions, several times per day

Sciatica Symptoms Prominent in Hip/Buttock Region or Worse With Lying On Your Side

• Stretch your piriformis by lying on your back and bringing leg up and across your body - pull your foot towards you and push your knee away from you
• Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds, perform 3 times several times/day

Contact your All Access Physical Therapist if you have sciatica symptoms and your shoulders look "shifted" to one side.  

Contact your Physician immediately if you are experiencing a change in your bowel/bladder control.

If these self treatment strategies do not resolve your symptoms, contact your All Access Physical Therapist.  More specific treatment techniques may be indicated.  

 Follow Our Simple Guidelines to Keep Your Child's Back Healthy This School Year...

1.  Your child should carry no more than 10-15% of their body weight

2.  Use a lightweight backpack

3.  Use both shoulder straps and make sure they are wide and padded

4.  Make sure your backpack has a padded back

5.  Use all the compartments to distribute the weight

6.  Use the waist strap

7.  Your child's backpack should cover no more than 3/4 the length of their back

If your child should develop neck, back, or shoulder pain during the school year, the team of expert Physical Therapists at All Access can help!

Follow Our Simple Guidelines to Keep Your Child’s Back Healthy This School Year!!!

 uld develop back or shoulder pain during the school year, our team of expert Physical Therapists can help!!! 

• hould carry no more than 10-15% of their body weight

Use a lightweight backpack

Use both shoulder straps and make sure they are wide and padded

r backpack has a padded back

Use all the compartments to distribute the weight

 the waist strap

Your child’s backpack should cover no more than ¾ the length of their back

The Facet joints are located at the back on either side of the spinal column, between the discs and the vertebral bodies. Each vertebra has bony prominences on each side that form a facet joint with the vertebra above and below. The role of the facet joints is to limit excessive movement and provide stability for the spine.

Facet joints are a potential source of pain which can affect the neck, middle back or lower back. Poor posture is commonly implicated in the development facet joint pain. Prolonged sitting and bending postures places an increased load on the facet joints which then become inflamed and painful. The muscles surrounding the spine also become affected. When considering how poor posture can affect the neck and thoracic spine (middle back) we can see that the thoracic spine becomes round, the shoulders hunch and the head pokes forwards; this leads to tightness of the muscles at the front of the chest and overload of the muscles around the shoulder blades and neck. The paraspinal muscles (long muscles which run the length of either side of the spine) in particular become knotted and tender ⁽¹⁾. 

How can foam rollers help with cervical and facet joint injuries?

A foam roller is a firm solid cylinder which is about 6 inches in diameter and 3 feet long. A roller can be used to isolate specific injured areas of the body and treat restrictions in the soft tissue⁽²⁾as well as perform balance training exercises, core activation exercises and stretching.

Stretching exercises on the foam roller for neck and thoracic facet joint pain.

This exercise is great for extending the middle back and neck and opening out across the front of the chest.

Lie on your back with the roller placed vertically along the length of the spine, feet on the floor and knees bent. Try to keep the spine in contact with the roller and open the arms out to the side. Feel the stretch across the front of the chest, lengthen the neck by tucking the chin inwards.

Muscle release techniques for the middle back using the foam roller

This exercise is to release tension in the muscles either side of the spine, it may feel a little uncomfortable initially but this does ease the more you do it.

Lie on your back with the roller placed horizontally between you and the floor. Your feet should be on the floor with your knees bent. Use the legs to push the body up and down the roller (like a rolling pin) to release tension within the muscles either side of the spine.

By improving your posture, the alignment of your spine is more efficient and the loads placed on the facet joins are reduced.

One of the major benefits of using a foam roller is that it is a relatively inexpensive way to treat injury on your own. It can be used to maintain joint alignment and muscle flexibility in between treatment sessions or for prevention of recurrence of symptoms.

For more information about the use of foam rollers to treat back and neck pain or to purchase a foam roller contact us at (508) 845-3500. 

References

1. Referred pain distribution of the cervical zygapophyseal joints and cervical dorsal rami. Fukui S, Ohseto K, Shiotani M, et al.  1996, Pain, Vol. 68 (1), pp. 79-83.

2. A comparison of the pressure exerted on soft tissue by 2 myofascial rollers. Curran, PF, Fiore, RD and Crisco, JJ. 2008, Journal of sports rehabilitation, Vol. 17, pp. 432-442.