Self Care For Buttock Pain And Leg Pain - Gluteus Minimus Myofascial Release Technique

The gluteus minimus causes buttock and leg pain over a very large area: from the butt to the hip joint, the thigh, the calf, and even to your ankle!
Some take it for sciatic pain, but it's not: it's just "the small glute", i.e. a lateral hip muscle.
In this video, I'll show you
00:00 PAIN, SYMPTOMS AND FUNCTIONAL ANATOMY
01:26 CAUSES OF THE PAIN
3:10 GLUTEUS MINIMUS STRETCH
Here is the link to the standing technique that I mention: • Gluteus Medius Pain | ... (02:29)
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Medical Disclaimer
All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
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Pain in the back, shoulder, arms or any other musculoskeletal pain should not govern your life.
A lot of the pain you feel is caused or aggravated by wrong posture, poor ergonomics and a lack of specific exercises for your muscles and joints. Giving you the tools to resolve these issues is the reason why I created this self care channel.
If you need more, check out these two innovative offers that will truly empower you in the subtle art of posture correction:
- you can get THE POSTURE MANUAL, my best-selling book with 15 readers-only posture correction videos - only if you buy it from my website: oliviergirard.ch/en/boutique/...
- to enjoy a personal coach and a lifetime membership to my private Facebook group, consider joining THE POSTURE ACADEMY: oliviergirard.ch/en/posture-a...
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Medical Disclaimer
All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
Full disclaimer:
oliviergirard.ch/en/ytdisclai...

[@SharonDoreenFAAROBO-cd6bc]

Thank you sir for your sharing. For nearly 3 months I have experienced muscle cramps on my left buttock down to the leg non stop. I could not sit properly and so painful. Tried all types of stretches read or found in the internet but none work out. From what you have shared I appllied on that area it miraculously worked. I can sit for long now and progressing. Well done.

[@OlivierGirard]

Such wonderful feedback!! Congrats and keep it up with your efforts!!

[@robertb7362]

Well done sir. Today it’s been almost two weeks walking like a turtle and back to bed. I had some improvements set my legs close to the wall and stretch up. I try your exercise and I couldn’t move my leg to the side AT ALL - which means you are dead on correct. Today is 4/21/22 I will start your exercise example and will update this note.

[@OlivierGirard]

Please keep me posted indeed, Robert! Bear in mind that how many reps you do doesnt' matter: what matters is how frequently you do the exercises :)

[@crengutatabacaru7091]

Thank you so much. After so many years of hip pain and numerous diagnosis I finally know where my pain comes from. The strech is perfect

[@OlivierGirard]

you're very welcome!! can you compare with this one and let me know which one you like best: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5Wcn4Z-qMejpLM ?

[@basit640]

This Is the best video in entire social media regarding pseudosciatica associated with gluteus mimimis Can you please specify frequency, duration and side of excercise

[@OlivierGirard]

Thank you Basit!! Stretches are always to be help 40-60 seconds (if the position is right, you should feel that the muscles loosens up after 30 sec, and you keep the position a bit more). Reg. frequency, 3-5 times a day when you feel bad but later as maintenance, a few times a week will be more than enough. Makes sense?

[@telebruel]

Yep that’s it!

[@pritimhatre6268]

Hello sir I did tried this exercise I felt good stretch on the leg which is straightly aligned thank you! Doing this thrice a day for 30 min is it okay? Btw I'm suffering from the back pain and standing for long period make it ache for do your pendulum technique and it really helps

[@OlivierGirard]

Good news, Priti! When you stretch, 2-3 times a day for 40 seconds (not minutes!) is enough... especially if your posture is improving due to the pendulum technique!! Many thanks for the feedback, it helps me a lot!

[@Lilgooby03]

Hi Oliver! I think this may be my issue! I have recently starting training at the gym with glute exercises and I think I may have overexerted! Hopefully this cures my pain! Thank you!

[@suhailahmad7944]

Well explained ....thank you so much sir.

[@OlivierGirard]

my pleasure, dear :) !!

[@sylwesteros157]

I thought that I have bilateral sciatica (pain and kind of weakness on the lateral thighs, calves and feet). It turned out that lumbar spine is ok and I started looking deeper into the topic. it turns out that it can indeed be gluteus minimus (or medius?) as I was trying to massage those muscles and it produced pain. The pain is also intensified when I am sitting or lying on my back. In my case, however, I experience pain also just above the buttocks (above the "gap"), slightly to the left and my pelvic floor is also really spastic. Can those extra areas be somehow interconnected with gluteus minimus? No doctor knows why I have that and also my PTs were confused due to strange symptoms.

[@mariamarino138]

I have a minimus tear, how long is healing from surgery?

[@leslieschanock2797]

You cured me!!

[@OlivierGirard]

Party time 🥂!! I’m so glad 🥳!

[@aidenkuo4618]

I have these same problems I hope this works

[@hsadah1583]

Sir, can you tell more about what it happened. In beginning i suffered back pain but 4 mths later, it lead to this kind of your explain. If Keep my legs close my back become crooked.

[@shijikm6925]

Super sir

[@matthewkosowan2360]

Thank you so much for this stretch Olivier. Around five years ago I strained my lower back/hip region doing an overhead press in the gym. Ever since I began lifting in the gym again this past year I have had extreme pain in the hip and calf likely due to the heavyweights I have been moving. This stretch makes it much less painful when touching my toes but I am still finding it extremely difficult to do the straight leg test. I have a slight anterior pelvic tilt and a high hip, do you have any further suggestions beyond this stretch?

[@kushisheela9293]

Thank you sir

[@ginny177]

Perfect release!

[@OlivierGirard]

🍾🍾!!

[@zainabbijabhai5399]

Good

[@mandydixon8069]

Hello sir I've been suffering with back pain glute knots and sciatica for years seeing so many different people for help but with no releafe I was wondering if this exercise would help thanks mandy

[@OlivierGirard]

Hey Mandy... with your description, I wonder if you shouldn't rather have a look at this other video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnm7noRuhdljhMU ... let me know!!

[@mandydixon8069]

Thanks for your quick response I really appreciate your help I will try the stretch and let you know how I get on in a couple of weeks or so thanks again mandy

[@mandydixon8069]

Hello sir its mandy thanks for the stretch I was just wondering how many times a day should I stretch this muscle thanks again

[@OlivierGirard]

@@mandydixon8069 My usual reply is that if you need to stretch more than twice a day, there's nothing wrong in terms of your posture :) So aim at 2-3 times a day at first, 1 min on each side and see how things go... Let me know!!

[@mandydixon8069]

Hello sir its mandy again I was just wondering about the stretch when I do both sides for the piriformis the stretch seems more in my left butt which is the good side and when stretching the bad side it doesn't seem to stretch as much and after doing these a few times a day my sciatica pain seems to be worse on my right side the bad side should I stop and try something else or this is normal thanks again mandy

[@seventhskysky698]

Anyone got numb superficial skin outer bum??

[@hiteshpatidar1036]

Actually my thoughts resonate with yours on symptoms and reasons. I always rest with cross legged right leg on the top of left. I feel pain at the point of origin of glutes medius on the left side. This pain gets worse while doing stretching exercise where we lean left and right by bending our knees and stretching the counter leg. I feel shooting pain when I lean left side in pelvic area. I don't know if it is because of piriformis syndrome or weakened glutes medius muscle. Kindly clarify my doubt.

[@JB-nr8fu]

Could it cause a feeling of imbalance? I fell on the right side 9 years ago practice kite surfing and had a tennis ball sized hematoma on my upper right thigh, and the physical therapist said my gluteus minimus may have been torn. She ended up doing dry needling. Thank you, I like your videos very much so far!

[@OlivierGirard]

Hey dear! Sure, everything you write looks like the gluteus minimus has something to do with your symptoms... did dry needling actually help you?

[@JB-nr8fu]

@@OlivierGirard Dry needling helped the spasms I was having but the balance issue now is horrible. The doctor I saw then said there was no testing to be done for such small tissue.

[@OlivierGirard]

@@JB-nr8fu I see... there are 3 things I'd do for the balance issue: - keep stretching the gluteus minimus - this balance exercise, which aims at your brains and internal ear: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmW4fZKrhp6dqas (the key is mental focus and extreme precision!) - stretch the sternocleidomastoid, which is sometimes also responsible of such things: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6rHeoaHj5ZsarM (2-3 times a day + review all the sources of forward head posture) Try 2-3 weeks with this regimen and see if you see any improvement, I'd say...

[@JB-nr8fu]

@@OlivierGirard Thank you for the in depth reply! I just got home from work and will watch and follow your instructions.

[@oscarzhang246]

Thank you so much! It's the first time I heard the referred pain can be the cause of my hip and leg pain. I had same habit (stand by the pain side and even cross legs some time). I also had herniated disc so I struggled a lot to find the real cause of my hip and leg pain. I'm not sure whether Gluteus Minimus is 100% the cause but definitely will try to heal it. I think my pelvis is also imbalanced. The pain side is lower about 8mm. Is there any video that can help deal with it?

[@AbeAlJ]

Im confused. At the end, which side is being stretched and on which foot should I put my weight?

[@OlivierGirard]

If you want to stretch left, stand on your right side and cross the left in front... makes sense ;) ?

[@AbeAlJ]

@@OlivierGirard Hi, thanks I finally got the stretch to work. I noticed that it helps to play with the pelvic tilt position (anterior/posterior as well as torsion) to hit different angles and find the best one. It also helps to play with the leg position in terms of moving it forwards or backwards.

[@mariamarino138]

When should surgery be considered?

[@OlivierGirard]

This is medical advice, that you shouldn't consider as binding from my side: I don't know your medical file. But generally speaking, I advise to go for surgery 1) when everything non invasive has been tried (incl posture therapy, which is extremely rarely offered) or 2) when there's a risk of instability or loss of control over the situation, i.e. an emergency. These are general lines but every case is particular.

[@Isaxus12]

Should you stretch both legs or only the one currently hurting?

[@OlivierGirard]

Always do both sides. It's the safe approach.

[@lauraizteleuova6553]

Hello! If my left leg aches then which leg should I cross (lean forward)? Please give feedback, thank you for video

[@OlivierGirard]

left one, dear :)

[@bramhanesanjay]

Let me check out.

[@777Rage]

Plz help? I’m 19 and I been dealing with a pain similar to this. I have went to the doctor and a chiropractor and nothing has worked. But this video is different because I work standing up and only moving on one side. This might be the solution. How many seconds and sets do I do. And how many times a day

[@user-by6sz7nh8f]

Hey did it helped?

Dear Oliver, with interest I tried this release technique, but I am wondering, whether I do it right? And or I have a different problem with my left back and leg down to my toes. Becaue you said below, if I want to stretch the left side, stand on the right side, but then for me the release or stretch "pain" is also on the right side?!? My problem is: after only a short walk with only a light ascent or uphill, my left leg begins to hurt. It starts at the back, left hip, then goes down to the front thigh muscle, further down to the calf, then back also to the back thigh muscle. But it differs and change from time to time, but always starts at the left hip or left but muscle. If I don't pause, this extens till massive spasm. As soon as I stop or pause, it releases quite quick again, but returns also quite fast. Same is during climbing stairs. Walks with less muscle, or physical effort, even level or downhill walks, as well as downstairs are not or not such problematic. Sorry for this long post, but maybe you have an advice for me, what I could and should try to get rid of that painful and power soaking problem which I already have for months now. Thanks in andvance and repards.

[@OlivierGirard]

Hey Jörn... first of all, sorry to reply this late! Everything you write rings like your iliopsoas would be involved. Can you watch this video and tell me if it rings a bell: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKPHdqNuiqmDfsU ?

[@AbeAlJ]

Also the standing technique is not linked at the end of the video?

[@OlivierGirard]

Just corrected it... thanks for the feedback!!

[@mandydixon8069]

Hello sir its many again I've started doing the gluteus minimus stretch again but I was wondering do I do the stretch on both sides or just the bad side when I do the stretch I can't really feel a stretch in the bad leg when I pull it across in front of the other leg I just feel pain in the hip of the good straight leg I don't know if this is Normal thanks for any feedback again mandy

[@OlivierGirard]

Hey Mandy, nice to read you again! What you describe is not completely intuitive... could you try the lying down version of this stretch (kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYC1o2uXmKt2qrM) to see if it changes anything?

[@kathrynellison5636]

I hope you can tell me if this pain has anything to do with the fact one hip is higher then the other. And I sit 5 hours a day. Besides walking on break is there something I can do at desk? Thank you I subscribed. Take care.

[@OlivierGirard]

Hi Kathryn! Sorry for this late reply... I'm trying to catch up with the many comments I get daily 😅! Everything that is linked to some kind of asymmetry can be related to this, directly or indirectly. But in my opinion, the analysis is not thorough yet: do you have any clue why one hip is higher than the other one? It looks like there's a muscle imbalance somewhere there...

[@lifewithsexytina5707]

Need your help badly I've been feeling pain from December went to the doctor take also the painkillers nothing works help

[@OlivierGirard]

Do you feel anything when doing the stretch that I recommend?

[@lauraizteleuova6553]

@@OlivierGirard thanks so much for easy explanation, I’d say that this is the only video I’ve ever found about minimus muscl.! Great! One more question, I suffer for a week, what pose to have rest, because it aches almost all the time. Question 2, how to “warm up” muscles in the morning before stretch or no need to warm up? ‘Cause I heard that after awakening discs are bigger and it causes additional discomfort due to its size to the spotted muscles. Would appreciate your precious feedback. Have a nice day!

[@zainabbijabhai5399]

Let me chek to much pain my leg 🦵 😪

[@zainabbijabhai5399]

Hips pain start full leg pain 1 month 😫

[@OlivierGirard]

check out my latest video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaC6oKuDftJpgK8

[@K4R3N]

I hate this muscle