If you have lower back pain there could be many possible causes, but one that is often overlooked is an issue with your gluteus medius. This could be acute, such as from a recent injury or sudden increase in activity. Or it could be chronic, having come on due to frequent jogging or long periods of sitting. An injured or tight gluteus medius can in turn lead to referred pain in your lower back. This is especially likely if there has been a change to correct posture and muscle function. And no amount of stretching or foam rolling is going to help your lower back pain if the source of the problem lies elsewhere.
What Is The Gluteus Medius
The gluteus medius muscle is deep under your gluteus maximus, which is better known as your buttock. It abducts your hip joint, which simply means that it moves your leg outwards away from your other leg. It also acts to stabilise your pelvis and keep it level when one foot is off the ground. Obvious examples are when you’re walking or running. When one foot is down and the other is up, it is the gluteus medius on the side that is down that is working.
Problems can be caused by anything that involves you bending forward, especially while twisted or lifting something heavy. This could be in the gym or something like using a spade in the garden. Anything that puts more strain on one side than the other. The damage can also be done over longer periods. This is more likely if you lean or twist when sitting or jog on a road with a camber.
How Does The Gluteus Medius Cause Lower Back Pain
The quadratus lumborum (QL) is a deep muscle in your lower back. It runs from your hip to your lumber vertebrae and up to your lowest rib. It is used when you bend at the waist to one side and when straightening your back after bending down. But what does this have to do with your gluteus medius? Well if you have a tight, weak or painful gluteus medius, whatever the cause, your QL will take over the role of hip abduction when walking(2). This means your QL does a job it wasn’t designed for which puts excessive stress on your lower back.
That’s just one example of how your gluteus medius can cause lower back pain.
Attempting to treat your lower back with stretching or even massage can provide some relief. But unless the underlying cause, the gluteus medius, is also dealt with it will only be temporary.
Pain In Your Gluteus Medius
Although the cause of your lower back pain could be your gluteus medius, you might not actually feel any pain in that area. If the muscle is just weak or tight you probably won’t realise there is an issue with it. This is because your QL is doing the work instead. But it’s doing work it’s not designed for, which is why it’s your back that hurts instead.
If you do feel anything it most commonly comes along your belt line and up into your lower spine area. But pain can also be felt just under your hip and down into your buttock or even the top of your leg. Least common is pain directly over your tail bone area(1). You could suffer from one or all of these, especially if you continue to do whatever originally caused the issue.
How To Treat Lower Back Pain Caused By Your Gluteus Medius
If your gluteus medius is the cause of your lower back pain (or the reverse) then both issues need treating. Massaging just your lower back will provide only temporary relief at best. But massaging both areas is much more likely to cause lasting benefit which can be enhanced with regular stretching. If originally caused by poor posture or prolonged sitting this should also be dealt with, along with strengthening the muscles.
Have you had lower back massages in the past that provided only temporary relief, or none at all? Then your gluteus medius could be responsible and need treating by a qualified massage therapist.
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