Pace Setter : February 2017

Glut Amnesia

by Robert Irwin

You need to understand how your glutes became inhibited, if you wish to overcome so many running injuries and not have them repeat over and over. Runners often come to me seeking a cure for runner’s knee, IT band syndrome, shin splints, calf pain etc. The problem is many look at the SITE of PAIN, instead of the REASON for the pain. Pain in your knee, calf, hamstring, neck/shoulders and lower back could all be symptoms of glute. amnesia or inhibition.

If your butt muscles don't fire well enough or are inhibited the other muscles in your legs will "pay the price" for the inhibited muscles. The muscles that comprise the gluteal muscles are the tensorfasciae latae (TFL), gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. One of them or all of them can pay the price and become over worked if they are not working in coordination with each other.

Sitting has become the new smoking; sitting all day whether for work or pleasure is a huge contributor to glute amnesia. The four gluteal muscles function to stabilize the hip during standing and quality movement. If theybecome lazy due to a lack of exercise from 7am - 6pm; how do you think they'll work when you headout the door for your training run? Not well! If the hip is weak, lazy, unresponsive, slothful, how will he body respond? Poorly and become over worked and eventually injured.

Instead of muscles working together efficently your brain will "cheat" the movement pattern of the act of running. During that "cheat" the muscles that cause your pain become OVERUSED; OVERWORKED and OVER TIGHT and an injury soon follows. You get the picture! Looking above and below your gluteal muscles, your upper body, legs and feet cannot be ignored. From your head and neck down to the bottoms of your feet, posture matters big time! How your body balances with gravity during your run matters; how you make your body go down the road matters.

Three simple excercises to improve glute firing before you work out or run are:

1. Modified clam shell

a. Lie on your side with your head resting comfortably.

b. Your bottom leg should be straight, with your top hip bent up to ninety degrees and your top foot resting behind your bottom knee. Your hips should be forward, and should remain in this forward position throughout the entire movement to come.

c. Squeeze your glutes and lift your knee off the ground, keeping your top foot rested on your bottom knee (make sure your hips don’t roll back because they most certainly will try to do so).

d. You should feel this exercise approximately where your jeans pocket would be. If you feel it here, you’re doing it right! I recommend doing 8 to 12 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets.

1. Glute Bridges

a. Get in to the bridge position and lift your hips in the air.

b. At this top position, and without allowing any movement at your hips, slowly lift one leg off the ground and hold for two seconds.

c. Put it down and lift the opposite leg. Repeat this about twenty times, ensuring your hips remain stable throughout the entire exercise.

1. Resistance bands are becoming more popular and with good reason. They are a great way to get the glutes geared up for a workout. The best way to do them? Wrap then around your ankles and step from side to side. Do 10 to 12 to each side for 2 to 3 sets. This is usually a pretty fail-safe way of getting a burn in that pocket muscle.

Try doing this excercises daily before you go for your run until you are pain free. Then I recommend a routine of 3 times a week to keep your gluteal muscles firing in proper sequence.

Any questions feel free to contact me at:

Dr. Robert Irwin

Delmar Chiropractic

204 Delaware Ave.

Delmar N.Y. 12054

518 439-7644

or bobdc99@yahoo.com

You need to understand how your glutes became inhibited, if you wish to overcome so many running injuries and not have them repeat over and over. Runners often come to me seeking a cure for runner’s knee, IT band syndrome, shin splints, calf pain etc. The problem is many look at the SITE of PAIN, instead of the REASON for the pain. Pain in your knee, calf, hamstring, neck/shoulders and lower back could all be symptoms of glute. amnesia or inhibition.

If your butt muscles don't fire well enough or are inhibited the other muscles in your legs will "pay the price" for the inhibited muscles. The muscles that comprise the gluteal muscles are the tensorfasciae latae (TFL), gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. One of them or all of them can pay the price and become over worked if they are not working in coordination with each other.

Sitting has become the new smoking; sitting all day whether for work or pleasure is a huge contributor to glute amnesia. The four gluteal muscles function to stabilize the hip during standing and quality movement. If theybecome lazy due to a lack of exercise from 7am - 6pm; how do you think they'll work when you headout the door for your training run? Not well! If the hip is weak, lazy, unresponsive, slothful, how will he body respond? Poorly and become over worked and eventually injured.

Instead of muscles working together efficently your brain will "cheat" the movement pattern of the act of running. During that "cheat" the muscles that cause your pain become OVERUSED; OVERWORKED and OVER TIGHT and an injury soon follows. You get the picture! Looking above and below your gluteal muscles, your upper body, legs and feet cannot be ignored. From your head and neck down to the bottoms of your feet, posture matters big time! How your body balances with gravity during your run matters; how you make your body go down the road matters.

Three simple excercises to improve glute firing before you work out or run are:

1. Modified clam shell

a. Lie on your side with your head resting comfortably.

b. Your bottom leg should be straight, with your top hip bent up to ninety degrees and your top foot resting behind your bottom knee. Your hips should be forward, and should remain in this forward position throughout the entire movement to come.

c. Squeeze your glutes and lift your knee off the ground, keeping your top foot rested on your bottom knee (make sure your hips don’t roll back because they most certainly will try to do so).

d. You should feel this exercise approximately where your jeans pocket would be. If you feel it here, you’re doing it right! I recommend doing 8 to 12 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets.

1. Glute Bridges

a. Get in to the bridge position and lift your hips in the air.

b. At this top position, and without allowing any movement at your hips, slowly lift one leg off the ground and hold for two seconds.

c. Put it down and lift the opposite leg. Repeat this about twenty times, ensuring your hips remain stable throughout the entire exercise.

1. Resistance bands are becoming more popular and with good reason. They are a great way to get the glutes geared up for a workout. The best way to do them? Wrap then around your ankles and step from side to side. Do 10 to 12 to each side for 2 to 3 sets. This is usually a pretty fail-safe way of getting a burn in that pocket muscle.

Try doing this excercises daily before you go for your run until you are pain free. Then I recommend a routine of 3 times a week to keep your gluteal muscles firing in proper sequence.

Any questions feel free to contact me at.

Dr. Robert Irwin

Delmar Chiropractic

204 Delaware Ave.

Delmar N.Y. 12054

518 439-7644

or bobdc99@yahoo.com