The gluteus medius is located on the lateral (i.e., external) side of your upper buttocks, and it’s responsible for the abduction of the leg (i.e., moving it away).
This muscle originates from the lateral surface of the ilium between the posterior and anterior gluteal lines, and similar to the deltoid muscle, the final insertion of the gluteus medius gets divided into three portions.
The gluteus medius is often neglected as athletes pay more attention to its larger neighbor (gluteus maximus); however, stretching this muscle on a regular basis offers numerous health benefits, including the loosening of the hip articulation and the improvement of lower back pain.
The mechanics of the gluteus medius are complex due to the diverse functions it ensures.
Here are some of the gluteus medius’ function:
The most common complication that affects this muscle is known as the Gluteus Medius syndrome, which describes a muscular injury that causes pain in the external side of the hip.
Physical therapists often refer to this condition as the rotator cuff of the hip due to the similarities in the pathogenesis and symptoms with the rotator cuff of the shoulders.
The most commonly affected structure in gluteus medius syndrome is the tendon that gets inflamed and could potentially lead to trochanteric bursa (i.e., the inflammation of a fluid-filled sac in the femur).
This condition is extremely prevalent in individuals who participate in marathons and other long-distance activities, which is why it’s often referred to as the runner’s butt.
Other names for gluteus medius syndrome include:
Dead butt syndrome
Tight butt syndrome
This exercise focuses on stretching the glute muscles.
Here’s how to do it:
This exercise works great to develop the entire lateral muscular system.
Here’s how to do it:
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