Over the years I have discussed the importance of improving glute strength and maintaining hip mobility in a number of articles, for hip stiffness is attributed to many of the common injuries seen in the lower limbs, and also the back. The best exercises to do this are always the standing functional movements however they can be too difficult and even cause more problems in the beginning of a rehabilitation program. Especially if there is severe pain or weakness. This is where you need a set of exercises to begin with that can help to improve the lack of stability and weakness without aggravating the existing problem. Resting is not good solution for this will exacerbate any existing weaknesses and create more stiffness. Clicking or clunking sounds in the hip, osteoarthritis, and weakness are a sure sign your hip is unstable and needs a corrective strategy using stability and strength exercises. Treatments that focus only on releasing stiff muscles or trying to use NSAID’s or cortisone injections to reduce inflammation will do very little to restore stability to the hip and pelvic region. Finding a way to start with simple strength exercises that have a gradual progression is the secret to getting more stability of the hip and pelvis. In this article, I will show you some great exercises to use in the early stages and how to gradually progress to more effective functional movements without creating more problems.
Why Cortisone Injections For Hip & Shoulder Pain Should Be A Last Resort, Not The First Option
I cannot tell you how many people I have met over the past 20 years who have come to see me for help with a chronic hip or shoulder problem that had evolved into a much bigger problem that it should have. These were mainly due to treatments that focused on pain relief instead of correcting the underlying cause. In almost every one of these cases the treatment consisted of cortisone injections into the injured area followed by rest. Some were told to see a physio for some treatment but many were told that they will need a few injections over the coming months to get rid of the inflammation and the hip or shoulder would be “fixed”. I am astounded that with all the advancements in modern technology and science, and the ability to access information that can provide great insights into what causes injuries that this is the most consistent course of action. Very rarely does this work and if anything all it is likely to achieve is make the injury worse! In this article, I will explain why this approach to shoulder and hip pain is flawed and what approach is more effective in the long term.
5 Reasons Why You Should Use The Barbell Hip Thrust To Strengthen The Glutes
There has been many times that I have been proven wrong or I have completely changed my mind about a health and fitness concept over the past 17 years as a trainer. The value of the barbell hip thrust is one of those instances where I originally thought little of this as an exercise and saw it more as a gimmick or an exercise for those who were not skilled enough to do deadlifts, squats, and single leg exercises. However, in recent times and I have suffered several health setbacks that forced me to change my training program and exercise selection that led me to experiment with this exercise. Much to my pleasant surprise I uncovered some hidden gems with the hip thrust that I never fully appreciated previously. In this article, I will share with you what these secrets are and how you can use this to great benefit in your own training.
Why Quadratus Lumborum Back Pain Is A Reaction To Weakness Of Other Muscles
I must admit I have thought about writing an article about the Quadratus Lumborum (QL) and Psoas muscles for a long time but have avoided it for I was afraid it would take me too far down the rabbit hole of confusion and contradictory conclusions that make absolutely no sense. However, I have come across problems with this muscle several times recently with people suffering with hip problems and also when people tried to execute the complex multi-joint exercises I have been using a lot, so I thought it would be a good idea to try to explain why this happens and more importantly what you can do about it. To make this easier to understand and also minimize the length of the article I have split this into two parts with part one about the QL and part two about the Psoas major. They really work together to create stability of the spine during movement although they are often misunderstood and trained as prime moving muscles.The QL helps form the lateral stabilizing system needed for walking and single leg stance whereas the psoas allows the hip to flex without damaging the spine. There is no doubting they are very unique muscles and when you understand their purpose it is easier to determine what exercises work best and how to prevent problems from occurring.