Lower back pain or postural stress is often accompanied by tightness in the front of the hip, making the muscles on the back side of the hip weaker. Targeted gluteal muscles can effectively strengthen this area and thereby provide more support for the lower back and reduce pain.
In this video, Point Performance physical therapist Adam Gershowitz demonstrates three progressions of gluteal exercises. The first is a gluteal setting exercise, an isolated movement in which you would squeeze the glutes without squeezing your hamstrings or quadriceps. The second is squeezing the gluteus, and then raising your knee. It’s a small movement, but makes a difference. Squeeze the glute for about 20-30 seconds, and then do a reverse clamshell exercise in which you keep your knees together but raise your foot. Lastly, you’ll do an elevated hip rotation by raising your leg and turning the hip muscle for 20-30 seconds.