Most of my private or group clients who have back, hip or knee pain can’t properly fire their glutes without first undergoing some teaching, on one or both sides.
Strong glutes are vital for everyone especially if you have Parkinson’s. Your glutes are an incredibly important muscle group for many reason to name a fews: balance your gait and stance, prevent falls, improve posture, prevent back, hip and knee pain and injury.
The next series of blog posts are some of the best exercises you can do to get your glutes properly fired up and working for you. These exercises will help you move better, feel better, and prevent injuries. I call it my Bootie Boot Camp and I will teach you how to fire up your glutes to treat Parkinson’s Lazy Bum.
Why Are the Glutes So Inactive?
The most common reason people suffer from underactive glutes or “dumb bum” is due to lifestyle. Even people who exercise every day, if they spend a couple of hours sitting, they are simply not using their glutes. If you don’t use it, you lose it.
Another common reason I see with inactive glutes is due to injury or neuro disconnect due to Parkinson’s. This disconnection changes the mechanics and motor programming of a person’s body. This can lead to some muscle groups becoming overactive, while others become underactive. Compensation occurs and throws off everything resulting in injury.
Put the 2 together; Parkinson’s neuro muscular disconnect and sitting too much and you have Parkinson’s Lazy Bum. Your glutes check out of commission, dysfunction, pain and injury come next.
Glute activation is waking up your glutes. It makes the connection from your brain to your muscles and gets the muscle fired up and ready to do some work.
Hip Lift or Bridge Exercise:
- Lay on your back with arms on the ground by your side and knees bent about 90 degrees with feet on the ground, sit-bone width apart (about 8 inches).
- Place a small pillow under your head if your head can not lay flat to keep your neck in neutral position.
- Place a 5” ball between your knees.
- Inhale to prepare and as you exhale slowly lift by hinging your hips off the ground, squeezing the ball between your knees, keep your feet flat on the ground. Avoid tucking your bum under.
- There should be a straight line from your ear through your hip bone to your knee.
- It may be difficult to get your hips up if your glutes are weak and your hip flexors in front are tight. Be patient and keep practicing.
- You should feel your hamstrings contract, glutes engage and your Psoas in front of your hips will stretch. Imagine ironing out all the creases in the front of your pants.
- Hold the bridge position (hips up) for a few seconds and inhale to come down leading with your tailbone to maintain neutral position.
- Perform 10 bridges with good form and do twice daily.
- These exercises will strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, engage the inner thigh helper muscles (adductors) and stretch those overly tight hip flexors.
- This is a safe exercise but if you have back discomfort, reposition and try again or ask your doctor if this exercise is good for your particular spine health.