Here comes a bold statement for the runners out there … Did you know that almost all knee pain and low back pain is both preventable and predictable? Please, let me explain.

The majority of the time that someone has one sided low back pain or knee pain, there is weakness or instability in the same side hip. What may come to a surprise to many is that stability has little to do with the size of your muscles (in this case your glutes). Joint stability is dependent on many factors, such as, balance reactions, coordination, speed, and proprioception (posit on sense in space). Therefore, the goal of training your hips should be to make them smarter and faster, not necessarily bigger.

You may be wondering how it is possible to stop using your butt. Here is an all too common scenario. Many of us sit far too much. When seated, your hip flexors remain in a shortened position which can lead to chronic tightening. This new, abnormal length of your hip flexors leads to something called reciprocal inhibition. Simply put, reciprocal inhibition means that the antagonist (muscles with opposing action) muscle to the short tight muscle will become inhibited (hard to use).

The antagonist to the muscles that flex the hip are those that extend and stabilize the hip (glutes). This becomes a huge problem due to the importance the glutes play in hip stabilization.

If not addressed appropriately, this inhibition leads to problems in both performance and injury prevention. Therefore, it is imperative to find out whether or not your gluteal muscles are participating appropriately.

Self-Assessment

Start by doing a simple self-assessment to see if this is potentially a problem for you. Lay flat on your back with your knees bent so that both feet are flat on the floor. Next flatten your low back against the floor, effectively engaging your core. Keep your core tight and push through your heels lilting your hips into the air. From here, it is important to evaluate both your left and right side by straightening one leg at a time. Hold this position for one minute (if possible).

Potential Outcomes

Pass: Able to hold for one minute, while feeling mainly glutes with some hamstring in a ratio of 70:30 or 60:40, with pelvis staying level.

Fail: Anything else!

Our bodies are amazing at compensating. Therefore, even if you do not use the proper muscles because of weakness or inhibition, you will find a way to lift your hips up. Hamstring cramping, quad, or low back involvement during a bridge are all signs that your glutes are not fully participating in hip extension. Hamstring cramping is the most severe form of inhibition of your glutes and must be taken seriously.

If you cannot perform a bridge properly, there is little likelihood that you are effectively training your glutes with squats, deadlifts, or lunges.