Glute max as a stabiliser in standing

Hi.

Should the glute max be the main stabiliser in normal standing? I believe I may activate my hamstrings to stabilise in standing instead of my glute max causing tension in my hamstring and making them appear short. Is this right?

Thanks for any help in advance.

Hi Dugao 123

This issue is way more complex than this. There are a number of reasons why one muscle group or the other might be employed in quiet standing. If the hamstrings tend to be over developed and shortened and the glut max is under developed then the hamstrings are likely to be working excessively in a wide variety if activiies: standing up, walking, running squatting etc. It is important to work out why this may be and an individual assessment is needed. However tight hamstrings could indicate such a problem.

Dugao 123

Hiya, this might sound like a stupid question, however where is it said that the gluts are the main stabilizers in standing? what exactly do you mean by normal standing? do you mean relaxed standing...

Like Gcoe has said overworking your hamstrings over your gluts is not ideal, it can predispose to hip trouble by causing too much anterior glide superiorly...
relaxed standing may involve shifting weight primarily on one limb(physio 101, relaxed standing involves shifting weight from side to side intermitently for comfort...your spinal muscles and hip muscles on the contralateral side will be working to keep stability (keep you from falling to that side you are relaxing on)...

so maybe you can explain what you mean by normal standing... if you mean ideal anatomic standing...all your antigravity muscles will be active not just your gluts

you can still stand if your gluts are weak, why is that? you should ask yourself that question...

The elderly population stand often with a kyphotic spine, flexed hips and knees yet they can stand...in their case their gluts are probably stretched and weak...

so I ask again what is normal standing?

cheers

Thank you both for your replies.

Dr Damien - Yes I mean normal relaxed ideal anatomic standing. I already knew that I didn't use my glutes enough when walking (though I was over using my calfs by pushing off with my ankle more than anything) and have been working to correct this and strengthning my glutes. I have always had tight hamstring despite following various stretching protocals for extended periods of time. So I thought that I must be overusing my hamstrings but not sure when. Thats why I asked whether you could use them dysfunctionally as a stabiliser.

Again thanks for any replies.

Problem is not you are not using glute max.
Problem is that there is a dysfunction in your glute max or your nervous system chooses not use it so other muscles synergically dominate.
Stop beating up your glute max by doing exercise.
it will not let u use more glue max than hamstrings.
Your nervous system controls which muscle to use as domain mover, and if there is something wrong in your glue max, then other muscles are recruited. Stretrching hamstrings are not gonna help you
either. your hamstrings get tight because it is overused because your nervous system choose to use as main mover.

I would recommend you do lots of Glute max and medius stretch rather than beating up those muscles and atso stretch for quads.

your hamstring maybe tight because your body try to prevent some other structure to get injured. if thats the case, stretching or treating hamstrings will put you in worse situation, Injuries
your hamsring can get tight if your quads are dysfunction and you use hamstrings for prime movement of siting and standing(squat type movement)


My conclusion is that
trying to Fire up muscles that are dysfunctional is NO NO. it is making it worse really, and most of people do that way.
we need to train reflex to fire up wanted muscles after the treatment is done if necessary
but most of cases, it is not.
your body(nervous system) knows that it is safe to use glute, then it will use it.
Sometime your body is not convinced that there is an enough treatment is done, then you do fire up training to convince your nervous systems that it is safe to use that muscle as main mover.

Interesting, thanks taiger111.

Won't the nervous system typically take the path of least resistance? So maybe, historically, I have had a movement dysfunction and incorrectly used my hamstrings more than my glutes in certain movements, resulting in the glutes becoming weak. Therefore now my nervous system uses the stronger hamstrings as it is easier but if I gain strength in the undeveloped glutes then it will activate these (maybe with some conscious activating of them at the correct times). Is this possible?

Also could you explain the reasons behind stretching the gluteal muscles and quads to correct the issue?

Note: I have been told my glute medius are both work and have been given a strengthning program for these.

Thanks and I appreciate the time you have took to reply.

I was writing those comments based on what i know from your post. so unless i palpate and see the functional movement of your body, t here is no way of knowing what causes what.
By the way how did people come to a conclusion of glute medius are both work and glute max and medius are weak? If muscles need exercise, when u do exercise and u will get to the point that your physioan tells you that your glute max and medius are not weak any more. I got a picture of your situation by reading this "have been working to correct this and strengthning my glutes."

I am based on my belief(assumption) that most of people who say "Weak" does not understand what it means.
Muscle can get "Weak" by having dysfunction in it, or under develop muscle(disuse)
so Weak = Strengthning formula will not work 100% time. Muscle can get "Weak" by misfiring too. so Weak has lots of meanings.
If doing exercise is not getting you what you want, then u need to do other things. Doing the same thing over and over and expect to see a change is called "Insane"

If we want to properly diagnose muscles, we need to do functional movement assessment, and ROM and palpations. Most of peopleh do not have palpation skills and misdiagnoses a lot. using orthopedic exams are nice but problems are that they are made for orthopedic conditions for orthopedic doctor.
Nervous System typically take the path of least resistance too. Again i dont know if your glute max and medius are dysfunctional so i based on that if glute max and medius are dysfunctional, NS will use other muscles such as hamstrings(depends on movements though)



If your hamstrings tightness are caused by overuse of them because your body can not use glute as primary mover, then treating glut wiles(stretch or anything that can cause a change in fascia), then you will use less hamstrings and more glute. Quads work together with hamstrings. if they are dysfunction, you will use more hamsrings and get tired upon squat movement. And if your quads are dysfunctional and you want to do squat, then you will use more hamstrings
Learning structure by itself does not give us a whole picture of what causes what. I learn those concepts from Collective Exercise Specialist program offered by National Academy of Sports Medicine, gray cook book, and TPI seminar. I once subscribe "Integrative Diagnosis" method online. its money back guaranttee. Lots of Pts and Dcs, MTs are studying those mentioned concepts as well as taking Active Release Techniques seminars (good name value)

Thanks Taiger.

I think I have caused a bit of confusion. When I say disfunction I do not mean injury but as in a movement dysfunction where I am not activating the right muscles and I am compensating. I have no injury in the glute or quadricep muscles.

I did have an injury around the central pelvis/hip area and this is when I went to see a physical therapist. He identified a weakness in the glute medius which he thought might be causing to overwork the injured area. He also noticed some relative weakness in glute max/hip flexor area.