Get Your Rear in Gear: Overcoming a Gluteal Injury with Physical Therapy

A gluteal injury is more than just a pain in the butt. These injuries, from a gluteal strain to bruises obtained while playing sports, cause pain and discomfort. To regain your balance and sit, walk, or stand comfortably again, you need a solution that accounts for the full effect of the injury. Whether you want to get back to playing your favorite sport or just live fully again, the physical therapy team at A Life In Balance can guide your path to healing!

David’s Journey

Our client David loves to stay active and you can often find him exercising with a trainer or hiking in his free time. However, he came to ALIB when persistent gluteal pain made it difficult for him to walk or move. "The first time I came to therapy was due to my inability to walk or move as I literally had a pain in the… we'll call it a glute issue. I received almost instantaneous relief from a massage and then [physical] therapy to help correct the imbalance."

 Gluteal injuries often occur after a fall or overuse due to strenuous activities. It's not easy for active individuals like David to slow down and let the body heal naturally. With the help of the caring team at ALIB, David made a complete recovery. It's easy to joke about gluteal injuries, but serious pain requires an effective treatment plan. At the same time, working with a physical therapist who encourages self-healing through exercises and lifestyle adjustments is important.

David says, "Once I understood the brain and body connection, the need to stimulate the underused muscles in lieu of the overused ones, and most importantly the need to activate them once they are stimulated, results happened much faster. Furthermore, homework is key! If you do not apply yourself to the work, results will not come nor last."

Why It's Essential to Treat More Than the Pain

The unique approach taken at ALIB holds the key to whole-body healing. Our team takes the time to help you understand the root cause of chronic or acute pain. This provides a real solution that can help you avoid future injuries and improve your health and wellness. David offers some advice to anyone experiencing pain due to a gluteal strain or similar injury. "Seek out a quality facility like A Life In Balance, as the issues you are facing may be tied to something else. Proper diagnosis and a committed plan will bring results."

Everything in the body is intricately connected, including how you move, breathe, and experience pain. That's why a holistic approach is the best way to overcome current and future pain. 

Understanding Gluteal Pain

While bruises and minor injuries may heal on their own, it's important to seek help for pain that doesn't go away or gets worse. As in David's case, many people don't know how different parts of the body work interdependently. For example, everyday activities such as walking uphill or using the stairs can exacerbate gluteal injuries.

You have three major buttocks muscles called the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. They support the hips and help you remain upright. Straining one of these can lead to tenderness, stiffness, and swelling. Eventually, you may struggle to move the impacted muscles. By avoiding the use of the injured muscle, you can overuse the surrounding structures or aggravate the sciatic nerve. In this case, David's frequent workouts may have aggravated his gluteal injuries and strains, prolonging the healing process.

A Full Recovery and Resources for a Pain-Free Future

With the guidance of the physical therapists at ALIB, David made a full recovery. "Now I am pain-free and have no limitations. As I said before, I am more aware of my aches, and I have an arsenal of exercises to employ when needed. This fundamental knowledge of the brain and body connection is something that I did not have before and I am better off now that I have it.”

David, and many other patients we help every day, are the reasons ALIB exists. (David liked us so much, he returned to ALIB when he injured his forearm.) To find a life in balance, we invite you to come in for a consultation.