I've gone to physical therapy twice in my life for lower back pain. Each time the exercises I was given concentrated on improving the strength of the abdominal muscles, never the gluteus group of muscles, which, among other things, enable us humans to walk upright. So why don't exercises for lower back pain also include exercises to improve the strength of the gluteus group?
1 Answer
Your inner core is where majority of the Chronic LBP research supports working.
Inner Core
- Transverse Abdominis
- Multifidus
- Diaphragm
- Pelvic Floor
Transverse Abdominis Dysfunction
Numerous studies demonstrated timing and thickness change deficits in subjects with LBP and athletes with groin pain
When respiration is challenged, TrA is the first muscle recruited to assist with expiration
Activation of TrA is preparatory, normally occurs before activation of primary mover and is not direction dependant.
There's no reason you can't work your glutes - research support this as well:
EMG results demonstrated that subjects with chronic lower back pain had significantly higher levels of recruitment for the lower and upper gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and erector spinae muscles during rotation when compared to the control subjects
Supporting Research:
