Gluteal Pain

Out of the three gluteal muscles that essentially form the buttocks, gluteus maximus is the largest muscle. Gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are smaller than the gluteus maximus to a certain extent, but all of these muscles play an important role in the mobility of the pelvic region.

Gluteal pain could occur due to a wide range of reasons. Since these muscles can become weak due to inactivity, those who lead a sedentary lifestyle might experience pain, when they suddenly perform any activity that puts strain on these muscles.

Gluteus maximus is one of the strongest muscles of our body. It originates at the upper portion of the pelvis. It attaches to the pelvic bone and travels down to attach itself to the femur. Gluteus maximus facilitates various movements of the thigh and pelvic region.

These muscles help you change your position from sitting to standing. These facilitate the bending movements and lower you into a sitting position. Contraction of this muscle helps you swim or squat. It is this muscle that helps in maintaining balance of the body as we walk or stand. It allows one to rotate the hip laterally.

Gluteus medius is the fan-shaped middle gluteal muscle that originates from the iliac bone and attaches to the outer part of the hip. A part of this muscle is covered by gluteus maximus. It allows us to lift our legs sideways and provides stability to the pelvis when we walk.

The smallest and the innermost gluteal muscle is referred to as the gluteus minimus muscle. It is positioned beneath gluteus medius. Both gluteus medius and gluteus minimus work together and facilitate the rotation and adduction of the thighs. These muscles also help in flexing the hip.

Standing for prolonged periods in a poor posture might give rise to pain. One might feel pain in these muscles after an intensive workout. These muscles could get strained, if these are stretched beyond the tolerable limit or the amount of tension that they can withstand.

People who don't exercise regularly are most likely to experience pain in the buttocks and thighs while running or climbing stairs. Putting stress on them suddenly, without preparing them for the stress, or performing activities that put excessive strain on them are often the contributing factors for pain.

Gluteal fold pain generally arises if one has been sitting for long stretches of time. Pain in the buttocks could also be indicative of sciatica or piriformis syndrome.

First of all, one needs to identify the activity that might be triggering the pain. The affected individuals must refrain from any such activity. They must avoid sitting cross-legged for long stretches of time. If a strained gluteus medius is causing pain, performing certain exercises will help. Performing yoga or aerobic exercises would surely prove beneficial.

Performing leg lifts, glute ham raise, glute squeeze, squats, and lunges would prove beneficial. These exercises will also help you tone the muscles. Alternative healing therapies such as deep tissue massage and acupuncture can also provide relief from gluteal pain.

If pain in these muscles has been caused due to sciatica or piriformis syndrome, taking certain medications might help.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this story is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.