Tight Glutes Causing Lower Back Pain? How To Release The Glutes
Tight glutes causing lower back pain?
Learning more about glutes and their role in maintaining a healthy lower back, I realized they often provoke low back pain, whether they’re tight or weak. Because of that, I decided to write about glutes and low back pain and what you can do to release the glutes or strengthen them so the low back can function normally. Here is a short answer.
Loss of glutes function leads to the unstable lower back and to shift of pelvic posture. Since gluteal muscles are powerful muscles used in daily activities, their disfunction will impact surrounding muscles and joints in the hip area and lower back. Tight glutes causing lower back pain is very common nowadays because of too much sitting and inadequate training.
What Are Glutes And How Do They Impact Low Back Health?
When we talk about glutes, we think of three muscles in the buttocks, but they are not the only muscles in the gluteal region. The most important muscles in the gluteal region are:
- Gluteus Maximus
- Gluteus Medius
- Gluteus Minimus
- Piriformis
The Gluteus Muscle Group
The gluteus maximus is located on the surface, while the other muscles are beneath, and they all contribute to hip movements. As the name suggests, the gluteus maximus is the largest muscle, while the gluteus minimus is the smallest.
Glutes are a group of muscles located in the buttocks, and they are responsible for hip movements such as:
- Extension – stretching the leg backward.
- Abduction – moving the leg to the side.
- Rotation – internally and externally.
The Gluteus maximus also participates in hip abduction and adduction movements.
- abduction – moving the leg away to the side.
- adduction – moving the leg towards the body.
One part of the gluteus maximus connects with the iliotibial tract, and they participate in the stabilization of the knee during knee extension.
Another function of the gluteus muscles is pelvis stabilization when walking, climbing stairs, squats, lunges, and other similar movements.
Last but not least, the gluteus has a huge influence on the position of the pelvis. If the gluteus is weak, there is a chance of an anterior pelvic tilt. The result is an increased chance of lower back injuries, as well as reduced pelvic function. That can lead to more frequent muscle injuries and posture dysfunctions.
Piriformis
Muscle used in daily activities such as standing, shifting weights from one leg to the other, walking. It passes by the sciatic nerve, and it is not uncommon for piriformis dysfunction to press on the sciatic nerve. That results in nerve compression in the leg as well as limited mobility in the hip.
Weak gluteus maximus adversely affects piriformis function. Piriformis works more and more to compensate for the weak gluteus. As a result, the chances of piriformis injury increase.
Why Do Glutes Cause Lower Back Pain?
The most common reason is too much sitting. The glutes become very inactive and weak then. Also, the pelvic position when sitting is not suitable for the lower back. Anterior tilt positioning of the pelvis when sitting can cause pain in the lower back.
Overtrained gluteus can also cause lower back pain. If a person works on jobs that involve constant torso bending and squatting, there is a chance that the glutes will become tight and inflamed over a period.
Gluteus can cause back pain if it is a poor technique when performing squats, deadlifts, or lunges. Lumbar spine extensors will work too much if the gluteus does not execute its job, but more on that later.
Tight glutes and low back pain
Like any other muscle, the gluteus can be tense and painful. The most common reason for this is prolonged sitting and lack of physical activity. Then there is a loss of hip mobility. The movements that are lost are extension and rotation in the hip. What does that mean for the lower back?
Let’s say someone is in the gym and getting ready to squat, and has a limited extension in the hip.
When lifting from a squat, the lower back will work a little harder than usual. Instead of hip extension, the lower back will extend more to compensate for the loss of movement in the hip.
Imagine the condition of the muscles in the lower back. Constant pressure results in muscle sprains in the lumbar region, followed by various injuries such as disc herniation.
Tight gluteus symptoms:
- Pain in the buttocks.
- Pain and tension in the lower back.
- Tight hamstrings.
- Reduced and/or painful hip rotations.
Weak Glutes And Low Back Pain
The glutes can be weak, sometimes on one side and sometimes on both sides. When gluteal weakness is long-lasting, it causes various painful conditions and complicates daily activities.
Weak glutes are often accompanied by chronic back pain while squatting and walking up the stairs are significantly impaired. How is this happening?
I will try to describe it as simply as possible and step by step. I will start first with how glutes can become weak over time.
Prolonged sitting and insufficient physical activity are the main reasons for weakening the gluteus. Prolonged sitting does not have an exact definition, but if a person sits for eight hours every day, that is too much sitting. By lack of physical activity, I mean a lack of activities that include squatting, stepping, running, and targeted leg strength exercises.
What happens next? The body adapts to weak glutes so that the muscles at the front of the pelvis have to work harder. These muscles are hip flexors and they are antagonists to the gluteus muscles.
The position of the pelvis changes and rotates forward. This phenomenon is known as anterior pelvic tilt. In this pelvic position, there is increased tension in the lower back. This pattern seems harmless, but over time it can create chronic problems in the lower back.
Now I will talk more about how you can relax tense glutes and strengthen them so that your back becomes even stronger and healthier.
How to loosen tight buttock muscles
Relaxation of tense glutes can be done at home, with a few good stretching exercises and self-massage. By self-massage, I mean using a ball, foam roller, or massage gun with assistance.
I want to share a few examples of exercises for relaxing the gluteus and lower back.
Knees to Chest
- Lie on your back.
- Pull your legs towards your chest using your hand.
- Hold for the 30s and try to breathe using your stomach.
Lying Glute Stretch
- Lie on your back.
- Cross your legs so that the ankle of one leg comes to the opposite knee.
- Draw one leg to your chest.
Pigeon Pose
- Start on all fours. Place your right knee near your right wrist, placing your shin on the floor. Move your right ankle toward your left wrist.
- Slide your left leg back, point your toes, and face your hips forward. Extend your spine.
- Hold for the 30s.
- Repeat on another side.
Knee to the Opposite Shoulder
- Lie on your back.
- Pull one leg below the knee with your hands towards the opposite shoulder.
- Hold for the 30s.
- Repeat on another side.
After a lengthy search on the internet, I came across a video that I find useful for all people who want to relax their glutes. Tell me your opinion in the comments below.
How To Keep Glutes Active And Healthy
One of the best ways to keep your glutes active and healthy is to train your legs with squats, lunges and deep jumps. However, isolation exercises for the gluteus can help you achieve the same.
As the second-best tip, you should avoid sitting as much as you can. It would be best to get up and stretch your legs every 45 minutes of sitting.
For the gluteus to be healthy and strong, it is desirable for the joints and muscles in the environment to be functional. This applies to the abdominal muscles, hip flexors, hamstrings, quads, and even the functionality of the ankle.
Gluteus Strengthening Program At Home
I made a mini-program that will make it easier for you to move and strengthen your gluteus. Here it is:
- Start with the glute bridge basic variant. Raise your hips 10x. Try to keep your body in the air for 5s with each repetition.
- Continue with glute bridge one leg 10x. Make sure your hips are in line when lifting your hips.
- Squat to 90 degrees and rotate your knees outward (abduction). Try to do 10x before you get up from a squat.
- Take three rounds of those exercises.
- Choose from any stretching exercises for the glutes above.
I hope you like my mini gluteus strengthening program. Write in a comments bellow how it was.
More Information About Back Health
- Lower back pain after running – Learn the connection between lower back pain and running. I’ve covered common injuries from running and explained why they occurs. You can find a quick guide on how to deal with lower back pain from running also.
- Lower back pain after deadlift – Learn the connection between lower back and deadlift exercises, what are the common back injuries after a deadlift, and what it takes to prevent and relieve the pain. You can read the simple and effective exercise program that helps to relieve muscle tension in the lower back. I apply the same exercises when I go too hard with training!
- Lower back spasm and loss of mobility – Read more about how you can react when dealing with painful spasms in the lower back and restricted mobility. Few exercises included.
- Back pain after squats – Here I explained most common squatting mistakes that cause back pain.
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