We know you have a pain in your butt and now you’re starting to figure out how to massage it out (see foam roller post last week), but now we have to figure out how to keep it away. One of the main contributors to keeping this kind of pain around is weakness in the glute (butt) muscles that hurt.
Here are two exercises that strengthen the muscles that stabilize your pelvis and hip and help those painful muscles stop overworking.
Clam Exercise
- Lie with the painful side up, stacking your pelvis so that is vertical.
- Bend your knees with your hips at about a 30 degree angle from your trunk.
- Keep your feet together as you lift your knee, opening like a “clamshell.”
- Go slowly and try not to let your pelvis rock backwards. Pause at the top of the motion for 1-2 seconds.
- Do 2-3 sets of 10-20 repetitions every day.
Side-lying Hip Abduction
This exercises strengthens your muscles a little differently.
- Lie on your side with the painful side up.
- Lift the top leg up and back, lengthening your body on the top side.
- When you feel the muscles on the back/side of your top hip working, pause and pulse a few times.
- Do 2-3 sets of 10-20 repetitions every day.
Of course, you should breathe while doing these exercises. If you don’t notice improvement or results within a few weeks, give us a call or visit www.breatheptw.com. Breathe. Physical Therapy & Wellness is located at 2614 Beaver Ave in Des Moines, Iowa.