The Vital Glutes: Connecting the Gait Cycle to Pain and Dysfunction

Correct breathing technique could also be very beneficial to the lengthening of the psoas major because of the muscle’s attachment to the diaphragm.

The Gmed posterior fibers assist the Gmax in controlling the alignment of the hip through the knee to the foot during the gait cycle. If for some reason the Gmed posterior fibers are weak, the knee can drift medially when walking or running.

If the adductors receive more neural stimulus from the obturator nerve (as when the adductors have become the main stabilizing muscle instead of the Gmed), this compensation pattern will naturally take the hip into an increased medial rotation, adduction, and hip flexion. As a result, the knee drifts medially (valgus position) because of the increa

However, there is an exception to the rule. If the ROM is less than 45 degrees, it could be that the medial hamstrings are restricting the movement of passive abduction. To differentiate between the short adductors and the medial hamstrings, the knee is flexed to 90 degrees (figure 8.27); if the range now increases, this indicates shortness in the

All muscles are invested inside fascia and as they contract, push out into the fascia, creating a stiffening around the joint. In the spine, contraction of the lumbar erector spinae and multifidus within the thoracolumbar fascia creates an extension force, assisting extension of the spine. When the lumbosacral multifidus contracts, it broadens post

There are two main effects of METs and these are explained on the basis of two distinct physiological processes: • Post-isometric relaxation (PIR) • Reciprocal inhibition (RI) When we use METs, certain neurological influences occur. Before we discuss the main process of PIR/RI, we need to consider the two types of receptor involved in the stretch r

found that weight-bearing strengthening exercises produce significantly higher Gmed activity than non-weight-bearing exercises. This may be related to the need for increased muscular control owing to the greater external torque forces on the femur and the pelvis.

We have already looked at how the relative shortness of the iliopsoas, rectus femoris, and adductors can be responsible for the apparent weakness inhibition or misfiring of the glutes. These three muscles are antagonistic to the Gmax and Gmed, and because of their anatomical position, any shortness in these muscles can result in a compensatory neur

The force closure muscles of the outer core unit consist of four myofascial sling systems, known as the posterior longitudinal, lateral, anterior oblique, and posterior oblique systems (figures 2.11–2.14). These myofascial slings provide force closure and subsequent stability for the pelvic girdle; failure or even weakness of any of these slings to