4 What happens if someone has a weak gluteus medius What is

4. What happens if someone has a weak gluteus medius? What is this called?

Solution

The Gluteus medius muscle is one of the muscles on the side of the hip. It is placed underneath the gluteus maximus muscle also called as the buttock muscle and works in collaboration with the gluteus minimus.

Function:

This muscle is also related to lower extremity problems like; knee pain, Patellofemoral Stress Syndrome (PFSS), Iliotibial band friction syndrome (ITBS) and hip pain.

If these problems occur a muscular screening of the gluteus medius muscles should be done. If weakness is identified various exercises to improve the function of gluteus medius muscle should be carried on like;

Injury to gluteus medius is rare but it can happen by the tearing apart of muscle and tendons during sport activities or falls.                    

Gluteus medius is an important hip stabilizer that maintains the position of the pelvis, hips, knees, and ankles.

*The gluteus medius lurch or the Trendelenburg gait pattern is an abnormal gait in which people have weakness of abducting the thigh at the hip. This is due to lesion in superior gluteal nerve. In standing position the weakened muscles allow pelvis to tilt down on the opposite side and to compensate this the trunk lurches to the weakened side to maintain the level of pelvis in neutral position.