I treat lower back pain on a daily basis, but not all-lower back pain is the same. Most people think lower back pain is caused by a herniated disc due to some sort of injury. However that is not the case. One cause of lower back pain is a weak gluteus medius muscle.
We have 3-gluteus muscles that affect our hips and legs. The gluteus medius muscle primary function is called abduction (moving your leg sideways away from the body). So why is that important? Well the gluteus medius is important in walking/running and stabilizing the pelvis while standing.
During life, muscle imbalances may develop within the body. When left untreated, a weakness in the gluteus medius muscle can lead to the following problems:
- Lower Back Pain – pain with walking or running with tenderness over the outer hip. Pain may also increase with abduction of the leg. Additional trigger points can build up within lower back muscles due to this compensation leading to more aches and pains.
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome – is considered due to overuse and is commonly seen in runners and cyclists. Symptoms range from pain above the knee joint to thickening of the IT Band.
- Shin Splints and Plantar Fasciitis – weakness of the gluteus medius causes the leg to rotate inward, which places abnormal strain on the foot and lower leg, which overtime may lead to these conditions.
If you have been suffering from chronic or acute lower back, leg or knee pain it could be do to a weakness in the gluteus medius muscle. Dr. Ken Andersen is the owner of Andersen Chiropractic, LLC in Sandy, UT. He and his staff pride themselves in offering the highest quality chiropractic care to all of his patients. For more information on the services provided at Andersen Chiropractic, LLC, please visit http://drkenandersen.com or call 801-572-5696 to setup an appointment in Sandy, Utah.
