It's been a while since I last blogged...September 30, 2013 to be exact. Since then, many things have taken place including completing the Ride 430 Challenge, my amazing wife Donna's 50th birthday, raising money for the MARSOC Foundation by participating in a 12-hour endurance mountain bike, race, Christmas, and the New Year.
I have been meaning to sit down and begin blogging again, but I just haven't had the desire to do so. I liken it to training...a little break now and then is certainly warranted, and extremely healthy.
Apparently, today was the day that I was meant to return to the world of carpal tunnel syndrome...I mean typing. As I was surfing through the multitude of posts on my Facebook page, I stumbled upon a link to a recent study involving one of my greatest passions...human movement and performance.
If you have been following my blog(s) for any amount of time, you are most likely familiar with my posts on human movement dysfunction, often due to muscular imbalances. Many of which are due to strength differentials between agonist and antagonist muscles and muscle groups.
In our day and age of technical advances, computer posture is extremely common. Computer posture can be defined as one which involves increased curvature of the thoracic spine, forward rounding (protraction) of the shoulders, increased lordotic curve of the lumbar spine due to tightness in the hip flexors, and shortening of the hip flexors resulting in an anterior tilting of the pelvis.
All of the above issues are the result of, or result in muscular imbalances...both in strength, and length. The picture below is a great example of computer posture.
The study I came across this morning, (http://www.jospt.org/doi/full/10.2519/jospt.2013.4116#.UtbVbfaKduc) addressed one of the most common issues with computer posture...LPHC distortion patterns. The acronym LPHC refers to the Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip-Complex, which is controlled by a number of muscles...including the gluteals (gluteus minimus and gluteus maximus).
The most common dysfunction found in the LPHC is commonly referred to as Lower Crossed Syndrome (LCS). LCS is the result of muscular imbalances between muscles of the anterior hip and muscles of the posterior hip. Anteriorly, the hip flexors (psoas) adapt to the the shortened length resulting from long durations of sitting...a process known as Adaptive Shortening. Opposite the hip flexors are the hip extensors...the gluteals. Ideally, a harmonious balance exists between the flexors and extensors, placing the pelvis in a neutral position...just like God intended. Life however, has a tendency to get in the way of many a harmonious existences.
When the hip flexors adapt to their shortened position, the gluteals (although more powerful) elect to give up the fight for control over the pelvis, via a process known as reciprocal inhibition. In this case however, we would consider it to be altered reciprocal inhibition....resulting in a postural deviation, which ultimately results in a movement and/or strength imbalance. If you are a weekend warrior who participates in some type of sporting event, this could limit your performance and increase your risk of an acute injury.
"So what was the study all about?" you ask. Before I get to that I need to bring you up to speed on one more issue. Tight IT Bands. The IT (illio-tibial) Band is a thick piece of fascia, running downward from the lateral hip to just below the lateral aspect of the knee. It is numerous functions including stabilization and proper positioning of the knee joint.
The IT Band originates from a relatively small muscle, the Tensor Fascia Latae (TFL) that assists (in part) with hip flexion, so it can be considered part of the hip flexor muscle group. As a member of this muscle group, the TFL is subject to adaptive shortening just like its 'cousin' the psoas. When the TFL contracts or shortens, it pulls tension (hence the name tensor) on the IT Band. Too much tension, or prolonged tension across the IT Band can cause mal-alignment of the knee joint as well as discomfort across the lateral knee. The discomfort is due to increased friction of the fascia rubbing across the lateral condyle of the tibia.
Whew! Ok let's move on.
Re-engagement of the gluteal muscles is paramount in the process of returning the hip to a normal (neutral) position. Other corrective strategies include stretching the overactive, shortened hip flexors back to their normal resting length, but this post will simply focus on the strengthening and re-engagement of the gluteals.
Now on to the study!
The researchers sought to find the best corrective exercises for strengthening the gluteals, while minimally stimulating the already overactive TFL muscle. Many hip dominant exercises actually recruit the TFl due to its integrated function of hip extension deceleration.
I was somewhat excited to find that the strategies I have been using on my athletes are correct, and elicit minimal activity of the TFL.
"So what are those exercises?" you ask.
The results of the study reveal the various exercises, but my favorites are those performed with mini-bands. The pictures below illustrate some of the corrective-based exercises I use to strengthen the hips and correct LPHC dysfunction.
The first picture demonstrates a Glute-Bridge with minibands at the knees. When performing this exercise, do not allow the band to pull your knees inward. Keep the knees aligned with your toes throughout the exercise. The minibands provide stimulation of the gluteus-medius, while the bridge (hip extension) provides stimulation of the gluteus-maximus.
The next exercise also combines targeting of both gluteus maximus and medius, while promoting lateral stabilization of the body. This exercise is often referred to as a Mini-Band Lateral Walk. While performing this exercise, make sure to maintain perfect posture (no bending at the hips or knees).
There are a few more exercises that effectively target the gluteals, while providing minimal activation of the TFL muscle, but these are two of my favorites. If you are looking to purchase mini-bands on line, here are a couple resources where you can find them.
http://www.performbetter.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product1_10151_10752_1003893_-1
http://www.power-systems.com/p-2705-versa-loops.aspx
Do yourself a favor and pick up some of these inexpensive bands and get busy getting your body working the way it was designed to!
Here's to a happy and healthy 2014!
Complete
reference: Selkowitz, D. M., Beneck, G. J., & Powers, C. M. (2013).
Which exercises target the gluteal muscles while minimizing activation
of the tensor fascia lata? Electromyographic assessment using fine-wire
electrodes. Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 43(2):54-64.
- See more at:
http://blog.nasm.org/fitness/which-exercises-target-the-gluteal-muscles-while-minimizing-activation-of-the-tensor-fascia-lata/#sthash.nwC9o81T.dpuf
omplete
reference: Selkowitz, D. M., Beneck, G. J., & Powers, C. M. (2013).
Which exercises target the gluteal muscles while minimizing activation
of the tensor fascia lata? Electromyographic assessment using fine-wire
electrodes. Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 43(2):54-64.
- See more at:
http://blog.nasm.org/fitness/which-exercises-target-the-gluteal-muscles-while-minimizing-activation-of-the-tensor-fascia-lata/#sthash.nwC9o81T.dpuf
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