Glutes Muscle – Structure, Strain, Exercises & Grades

The word “Glute” is usually used to describe a gluteus muscle which is normally used as a plural in form of gluteal muscles. This is basically a combination of 3 types of muscles which build up buttocks. These muscles are known as:

  1. Maximus
  2. Medius
  3. Minimus

All of them are considered to be important and each one has its own role to play in making up buttocks.

glutes structure

Gluteus Maximus

There are various muscles in human body, some are big and some are strong, but the strongest of all muscles is known as Gluteus Maximus Muscle which is found in buttocks and attached with coccyx and the bones in surrounding area.

Function of Gluteus Maximus

The major function is to allow and enable thigh and hip movement. When you are sitting or rising from a surface, you will be aided by Gluteus Maximus. In your routine life, you might have to climb up the stairs many times a day and this will not be possible without healthy GMM. Even if you just have to be in a straight or an erect position, your move will be supported by gluteus maximus.

Gluteus Maximus Syndrome

If your maximus gets affected with some kind of health issues such as gluteus maximus syndrome, you feel pain in standing, rising and lowering movements. This kind of health condition is usually caused by a spasm and the pain is felt while trying to sit on a chair or sofa, but once you have taken proper position, it will go away. Pain in your muscles may be caused by various other problems such as tendon’s inflammation or bone friction. These conditions are called tendinitis or bursitis.

Gluteus Medius

Gluteus medius muscle is the second gluteal muscle located at the pelvis’s outer surface which is thick, broad and radiant. The partial area of it is covered by the largest muscle mentioned above.

Gluteus Medius’ Function

The major function is to enable thighs rotation which makes it possible for a person to walk freely. There is a ridge located on femur bone and it is called greater trochanter. Gluteus Medius plays its role to attach both femur top and hip joint together on that bony prominence.

Problems

There are a few problems which may be in form of weakness, damage to the nerve or structural problem. There might be pain and inflammation in hip area.

Gluteus Minimus

Gluteus medius is known as a broad, but triangular muscle. It is considered to be the smallest muscle out of the 3 main gluteal muscles and located right beneath medius. The minimus can be referred as a secondary muscle, but it can greatly help in extending hips. It appears from ilium’s external surface between front and base of gluteal lines. It is said to be a powerful abductor which enables the rotation of hip joint as well as thighs.

Exercises & Stretches to Target Glutes

1) Ankle On The Knee

It is also known as Piriformis Stretch or Hip Stretch and is the perfect workout for your glutes. You don’t have to use any type of equipment for this exercise.

2) Flutter Kicks

It is also suggested by the experts to include in regular training programs as this has also been proven to a great exercise for training. The other major muscles are hamstrings which can be trained with flutter kicks.

3) Kneeling Jump Squat

It is a type of weightlifting but is extremely useful for glutes. Though, the major target is to train glutes, but the other muscles such as calves, quadriceps and hamstrings can also be trained with it. It is for experts.

4) Physioball Hip Bridge

It is also known as Stability Ball Hip Bridge. This is performed with the help of an exercise ball.

5) Single Leg Glute Bridge

It is another type of bridging exercise. To perform this workout, you simply need to use your own body and the great amount of isolation will be created.

6) Barbell Glute Bridge

This is another greatly benefiting exercise to get strengthened the gluteus muscles.

7) Glute Kickback

8) Knee Across The Body

exercises

Butt Cramps

So many people have to go through posterior pain and it is quite common. In fact, in most of the cases, it is just the result of spasms or cramps, but this condition might also get worse in some cases and the sufferer may become a victim of some serious problem such as slipped disc. Slipped disk or any other such condition requires proper medical attention and in severe cases, the patient might have to get surgical treatment. However, as far as cramp is concerned, it is not a very serious condition and can be easily cured with simple home remedies.

Weak & Inhibited Gluteals

They can also become weak or inhibited. Proper firing of it with low strength is called weak muscle while improper fitting is called inhibited muscles. Those who sit for long hours in sitting on a chair, usually experience hip flexors-psoas in which the front side of hips get tight and short and the backside of the hips get weak but long.

Gluteal Strain

Strain is the tearing condition of one or more buttock muscles. As mentioned above that all the gluteal muscles are responsible for rotating, moving and straightening hips during different body activities such as taking legs from one side to the other, walking, running, squatting, jumping, and lunging.

  • During tightening process, the level of tension is increased on the muscles and if this pressure gets too much of it, the gluteal muscles are torn as a result and this particular condition is then called strain.
  • Strain or tearing may range from big to the small tear and the level of pain is felt accordingly. Some might experience a very small amount of pain and loss in functionality while some might get an excessive amount of pain or a complete rupture.
  • Various grades have been set to understand different types of strains which are ranging from grade 1 to trade 3.

Grade 1

If you have got a little tear in fibers, this will cause pain, but it will be bearable and this will not stop your body from functioning properly. This condition will be classified as Grade 1 strain.

Grade 2

If there is a noticeable torn in fibers, this will bring some loss in function and this will be called grade 2 strain.

Grade 3

This is the most severe condition in which almost all of the gluteals are completely ruptured which is resulted in great loss of function and unbearable pain.

The above mentioned are some of the conditions which may affect muscles in your body but proper knowledge can greatly help you avoid these kinds of injuries specially those who are training and highly prone to get these kinds of problems, they must try to understand all about the muscles to train properly.