The 3 EASIEST Exercises to Fix Back & SI Joint Pain

The gluteus medius muscle is commonly found weak in people suffering with SI joint pain and low back pain. But the exercises to help strengthen this muscle are easily performed without any special equipment. In this video Dr. Brant Pedersen (DC) goes through three of the easiest exercises to help strengthen weak gluteus medius muscles.
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🔖 Here is a pdf summarizing these exercises: www.positivemotionhealth.com/...
Links for products noted in this video (affiliate link):
* Adjustable Ankle Weights: amzn.to/3T0V9QN
* Theraband Elastic Bands: amzn.to/3UUZ431
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:40 Anatomy of Gluteus Medius Muscle
02:24 Feeling Your Gluteus Medius Muscle Contraction
03:07 Trigger Points In Glute Medius
04:38 Exercise #1 - Seated Clamshell
06:59 Exercise #2 - Advanced Clam
08:50 Exercise #3 - Fire Hydrant
11:26 Sample Set / Rep For Each Exercise
When the gluteus medius muscle is weak it can be the cause of low back pain, SI joint pain, and hip pain. When the gluteus medius muscle is weak it allows the pelvis to become uneven with every step and when someone is standing. This puts increased load into the sacroiliac joints and can lead to SI joint inflammation and sacroiliac joint dysfunction.
We start with the Seated Clamshell strengthening exercise. It is done while seated and involves a gentle contraction of the gluteal muscles held for 30 seconds. This exercise is usually well tolerated by people and is a good place to start with strengthening significantly weak gluteus medius muscles.
The next home exercise is the Advanced Clam. This is a classic twist on a popular physical therapy exercise to help target the gluteus medius and external hip rotator muscles. You perform this exercise while lying on your side. The thigh is flexed to 45 degrees and then your bring your legs about 6 inches apart from each other. The exercise is to slowly in bring your feet together and then apart as you keep your thighs in a parallel position.
The final strengthening exercise is called the Fire Hydrant. This home exercise helps strengthen your hip muscles while also engaging your core and helping isolate hip range of motion from core and trunk muscles. It is performed on all fours and involves slow lying bringing your thigh out to the side while bracing at your torso. This physical therapy exercise has you hold the isometric muscle contraction for 5 seconds on each side.
As the gluteus medius muscle strengthens it helps decrease the stress put into the hip joint which can help support healthy joint function. It also helps with SI joint dysfunction by reducing shearing forces at the SI joints during gait and when standing by keeping the pelvis level.
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About Dr. Brant Pedersen, DC, CCSP
Dr. Brant is a sports chiropractor who founded Positive Motion Chiropractic in northern California (Los Gatos). He specializes in finding rapid and lasting solutions to muscle and joint pain issues. He received his first chiropractic adjustment when competing as a professional windsurfer and it opened his eyes to how quickly the body can heal when given targeted conservative care. Dr. Pedersen graduated valedictorian of his class from Palmer College of Chiropractic West, maintains an adjunct faculty position at his alma mater, and gives back through humanitarian chiropractic care. He enjoys sharing tips and tricks for how to stay active and pain-free and employs them daily to stay active as an extreme sports athlete.
👋🏼 Connect with Dr. Brant Pedersen, DC, CCSP
Web: www.positivemotionhealth.com/
Instagram: / positivemotion
Facebook: / positivemotionhealth
LinkedIn: / drbrantpedersen
DISCLAIMER: This content (the video, description, links, and comments) is created and published for informational and demonstration purposes only. It is not medical advice or a treatment plan. Consult with a licensed healthcare professional before doing anything contained in this content. In some cases exercise may be inappropriate. This content should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any health, medical, or physical condition. Don't use this content to avoid going to a licensed healthcare professional or to replace the advice they give you. Positive Motion Chiropractic makes no representations about the accuracy or suitability of this content. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call emergency services (911 in the USA) or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. Use of this content is at your sole risk.

[@terezacse]

This definitely helps. 💯Thanks a lot !! Could you please do a video with exercises for stabilizing hypermobile hips to make them more stable in order to lower the impact on lumbar discs when moving? Thank you

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

I'm glad this video is helpful. That is a great idea for another video and I will put it in my cue. Take care!

[@peggypedersen8191]

My husband broke his femur last year but has recovered nicely & is playing pickleball again. However when he returned to riding his bicycle he found out he had difficulty swinging his injured leg over the seat to dismount. We think these exercises just might be the key to an easier dismount from his bike! Thank you Dr Pedersen for enabling our aging & injured bodies to keep playing & staying active, even as we are rapidly approaching 80!! Love your detailed explanations of the exercises.

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

I love helping people stay active. Sometimes a single muscle being weak can really through the body out of balance. I hope that your husband is able to get back to riding his bike without any difficulty! Thank you for your comment. ❤️

[@SqueezeOJ]

You're very thorough. Thank you!

[@audreyboyle52]

Such useful info. Thankyou!

[@carolineleavitt4363]

Wow!! I've been in pt for 3 months trying to straighten out my right hip and weakness in my legs after having fallen and broken my left leg a year ago. Nothing she gave me has targeted the muscles to work like your exercises! I was about to go for n X-ray thinking it was more than muscles! Now I've got it! God bless you! Im hooked! You are my physical therapist!!!

[@antonellag9771]

Awesome channel and video!

[@luciehsuen8981]

Another great tutorial. Thanks for sharing. Will definitely visit this one often. 👍

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

I'm glad you found it helpful!

[@sandra.b7207]

Thank you so much

[@trinarichardson291]

The squeezes of the glutes is amazing how it helped me with SI joint pain I have suffered debilitating pain and weakness down my legs

[@CrackAddictz]

Very informative, great video this will help many!❤ Keep up the amazing work

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.

[@pennyhowe682]

79 not doing anything on the floor but thank you for the exercises there helping

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

Glad to hear it! Take care. 🙏🏼

[@pcan6441]

Wow, these exercises have really helped!

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

Great to hear that you found my content helpful! Thank you so much for subscribing to my channel.🙏🏼

[@radhikashinde7769]

Very imformative n helpful

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kayceejonnson1427]

Thank you very much for all this type of information. You have helped me out so very much!!!

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

Glad you found my content helpful. Thank YOU so much for watching.

[@AllisonDossett]

Just found this video and hoping these help to strengthen. I have a bunch of SI joint issues

[@CarterFite]

Your videos are great! I have SI joint pain and am current doing a daily routine of Side Lying straight leg raises, banded clamshells, and bird dogs. Would you recommend prioritizing these exercises instead? Thanks!

[@victoriousvictoria683]

yeah, hes good

[@carolineayers7983]

Love the video for its clarity and content. Thank you. Just a small suggestion…. Please consider wearing lighter coloured trousers to make the finer points of the movements even clearer.

[@DebbieHollandNZ]

I have worsening SIJ dysfunction as I age. RHS innominate Anteriorly / inferiorly rotated and LHS Posteriorly/superiorly rotated. I think it's a combination of Glute Medius weakness on RHS over tight Psoas and Adductors Pectineus on the left. Thank you for these videos it has reminded me I need to focus more on Glute Medius

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

Glute med is so important. I hope it will help you out.

[@carolee-fc7ir]

Where can I get the shoe inserts you demonstrate for leg disprency?

[@splendorartstudio5565]

Thank you for this great video. When I do the Advanced Clam exercise, I hear/feel a click in that SI joint area? Any idea why this is happening?

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

I would check with your doctor for your specific case, but it could be instability across your SI joint or it could be a tendon that goes out to your greater trochanter of your hip that is snapping over that bone as you go from internal to external hip rotation.

[@momayn4859]

Back in the day, Jane Fonda used to call the fire hydrant, "Rover's Revenge." Thanks for the videos.

[@cornypinkuni9519]

Haha

[@laremabella]

I also added the donkey kicks but typical of me to do like 50 reps twice. I'm really feeling it after couple years of no workouts and having knee and back injuries. I hope I get stronger 💪🏼

[@cornypinkuni9519]

Wondering how you are feeling now, a month later. Did you keep at these consistently?

[@laremabella]

​@@cornypinkuni9519hi. Yes I have stuck at it. I do every other day, sometimes missed a few days depending on how my back is. But I don't do the fire hydrants. They made my back worse so I was in really bad pain for almost a whole week. But I do clam shells and side leg raises and yes I've noticed working the glutes this way really help strengthen the lower body.

[@cornypinkuni9519]

​​@@laremabellaGreat to hear. Sounds like a good pace and listening to what does and doesnt work for your specific situation. Love hearing that. I can relate to some days or weeks being challenging for various reasons. Thanks for sharing. Just getting into these myself and looking forward to seeing progress over time!

[@robertmiller2872]

My PT told me I strained my gluteus medium tendon. I did this about 2 months ago but I am still in pain in the hip area especially after I get out of bed in the morning. Would these exercises be helpful in alleviating the pain?

[@cornypinkuni9519]

4:38 Exercises start seated clam

[@cornypinkuni9519]

5:53 Seated clam variations

[@jsaml2126]

Are these okay to do while I am in active/intense pain? Or do I need to completely rest?

[@fruissy]

@positive motion chiropractic what is the easiest between abduction without hip flexion or abduction with hip flexion (fire hydrant)

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

Probably the fire hydrant exercise, but really important with that one to just be moving from the hip and not overextending from low back.

[@blakemoore666]

You think it’s ok to do these 3 exercises along with (same day) the other 3 from your back/si joint exercises, ie: standing lateral raise, lying clamshell, standing leg wall press? Thanks!

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

It all depends on the level of fitness of the individual. If someone is in pain and starting off with pretty weak gluteus medius muscles I don't think I would do them all on the same day. If someone is not in pain and is fairly strong and just trying to build more muscle and maintain strength then they could probably get by with doing both on the same day. Remember that rest / recover is an important part of building strength gains that is often overlooked.

[@blakemoore666]

@@PositiveMotionChiro sounds good! Thank You Sir!

[@adhd_academy]

Appreciate the Easter egg of the skeleton changing poses in each video hahaha

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

I love that you caught that! 🤗

[@adhd_academy]

Love that you did it hahaha@@PositiveMotionChiro

[@Alonso_Kinn]

Спасибо, буду пробовать! Может поможет . В России я уже все пересмотрел , но так и не нашел решений 😢

[@tanjaosilic6641]

Secondo esercizio mi fa passare il dolore. È unico esercizio sull tutti di Yu tube. che mi aiuta. Che cos'è ho ? A cosa. influenza?

[@believerrrrr]

Should I be wearing the SIJ belt while doing these exercises?

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

If the SI belt is helping you there is not a problem with wearing it while you are working out.

[@indigenousamerican3148]

My si joint is always popping like crazy. I think at this point im beyond fixing.

[@cornypinkuni9519]

8:52 Fire Hydrant exercise

[@gabygibson8169]

Great knowledge to share with us. I follow with confidence your work. One suggestion for your future videos specially for people with bad eyes to distinct the darker colors… It is the dark background and your dark clothing. It’s definitely hard to distinct what you’re trying to demonstrate. Use white background please

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

Comment noted. I have seen a few people mentioning that and it will be corrected on future videos that have not yet been filmed. Be patient with me, but all filming going forward will have the demonstrations much easier to visualize. Thanks for your comment and your support of my channel and videos.

[@edkurtz]

Where you been?

[@cornypinkuni9519]

7:03 Advanced clam

[@jodynancy3034]

❤️👍

[@PositiveMotionChiro]

☺️