self-assessment | Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Self-Assessing Gluteal Function

April 9, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on April 8th, 2019 at 03:23pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

The gluteals are comprised of 3 muscles at the posterolateral aspect of the hip. These muscles include the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. Due to their location and connection between the pelvis, sacrum, and femur, they function in hip extension, abduction, external rotation, and internal rotation. But, they are also important from a stabilization standpoint, as they prevent hip internal rotation and help to align the lower limb during single leg stance and running.

I bet, at one time or another, you have heard how important these muscles are for everyday movements, athletics, and running. But, have you ever performed any type of assessment to truly test their integrity? If not, I have a very simple self-assessment that you can complete in 60-seconds or less. It’s called the hip bridge with straight leg raise.

How to perform the hip bridge with straight leg raise…

Lay on your back with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor
Lift up your hips to assume a hip bridge position
Extend one leg at the knee joint so the thighs remain level but you are supporting from one side
Hold this position for 20-30 seconds
Assess if one of the following things happened:
1. Inability to raise the hips up to the point where the knees, hips, and shoulders are in a straight line
2. The pelvis rotated and the non-weight bearing side dropped closer to the ground
3. The hamstring on the support side became very tight and/or cramped during the test
4. You were unable to hold this position for a minimum of 20-seconds
Now, complete the same assessment on the other side
Record the results and compare left to right

Take a second to watch the following video on how to self-assess the gluteals…

Because the gluteals play a variety of roles around the hip, this self-assessment could have shown you poor stabilization, hamstring dominance, poor neuromuscular control, gluteal weakness, or all of the above. Once you have improved the weak link(s), the next step is to build overall strength, stability, and endurance with a structured and progressive lifting program. This area can never be too strong and resilient!

If you found any issues with the self-assessment outlined in today’s article, I highly recommend reaching out to a knowledgeable healthcare professional who can help you create an action plan to see reliable results. Please click here to contact me directly if you have questions or want to work more closely together to find a solution.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

[The Hips Don’t Lie Series] Self-Assessing Hip Flexibility

November 13, 2017 · by Garrett McLaughlin

The hips are such a vital area when it comes to everyday movements and athletics. That is why I wanted to devote an entire series on exploring related topics concerning maintaining optimal performance and resilience. Even if you think, “my hips are fine, I don’t need this,” please realize that the hips have a big impact on the knee, lower body mechanics and lumbar spine health. Therefore, I cannot overstate their importance!

In today’s video, and future videos, we will go more in-depth about self-assessment, flexibility, neuromuscular activation, strength vs. stability, and multi-planar movement. Be sure to click here first and watch ‘The Hips Don’t Lie’ series trailer. I hope you enjoy the content! And, please comment below with any questions or comments.

In the first video in ‘The Hips Don’t Lie’ series, let’s explore self-assessing hip range of motion. Why I’m so passionate about the topic of self-assessment is because people often stretch and/or mobilize without even knowing what is restricted.

Oftentimes, just because you feel tight doesn’t actually mean you need to stretch. There is a lot of subjectiveness to “tightness” and self-assessing range of motion can help steer you in the correct path to success.

In the following video, I will teach you a few quick and dirty self-assessments that look at the hamstrings (90/90 straight leg raise) and hip flexors (thomas test):

Be on the lookout for future videos in ‘The Hips Don’t Lie’ Series!!

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

It’s Not Weakness, It’s Inhibition: Strategies to Improve Hip Function

June 24, 2016 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on June 24th, 2016 at 4:21pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

The gluteals are some seriously important muscles in the posterior/lateral hip. Not only do they function to provide stability in the frontal plane during single leg stance, but the gluteus maximus is the main contributor to hip extension and propelling the body forward in gait and running (see left leg below on the push-off).

Just below the gluteals is the hamstring muscle group. During hip extension the hamstrings function as synergists, which mean they assist the gluteals to create movement. Assist is the key word, as the gluteals provide the biggest impact with some hamstring assistance.

However, on a daily basis I evaluate people with varying degrees of gluteal inhibition. Don’t confuse this with gluteal weakness as it’s more of a neuromuscular limitation than an actual muscular weakness. In a way, this is actually a good thing since we can provide the appropriate stimulus which will restore the connection. Weakness in a muscle can take weeks or even months to improve.

When gluteal inhibition is present, the risk of injury at the back and lower extremity rises. Not to mention higher levels of stress through the hamstring. As mentioned above, gluteal inhibition will lead to more reliance on the hamstring group. Unfortunately, the hamstrings are not the best back-up which leads to the development of muscular tension. This tension can lead to chronic tightness, tendonopathy, and strains.

The first step is to self-assess gluteal function and determine if inhibition is present. You can do so by performing the single leg hip bridge hold. In the following video, I demonstrate how to properly perform this self-assessment. Click the video below to learn more…

Now that you have completed the self-assessment, did you notice an inability to extend the hips, difficulty keeping the pelvis level, or cramping in the hamstrings? If so, implementing a strategy to improve gluteal inhibition is key.

There are a myriad of activation exercises that can be used to restore function and success often differs between people. But, one in particular always rises above the others and has been the best strategy for my clients. Again, it’s focus is neuromuscular in nature and not to strengthen this muscle group.

In the following video, you’ll find an activation exercise that incorporates shoulder internal rotation to stimulate the back functional fascial line in which the latissimus dorsi and gluteus maximus are part of. This firing elsewhere along the fascial line seems to improve activation of the gluteals in subsequent movements and when re-tested. I was fortunate enough to learn this from Dr. Craig Liebenson at a Perform Better Summit several years ago.

Once the connection is improved/restored, exercises to further enhance function should be completed. Two of my favorites that commonly yield success are the forearm hip extension and cook hip lift. These need to be done before further gluteal strengthening can be carried out.

After reading this article I hope you have a deeper insight on how your body is functioning. Also, the knowledge to determine the difference between gluteal inhibition and weakness. If inhibition is the true underlying issue, the above mentioned interventions will yield at least some success to complete resolution. But on the other hand, a weak gluteus maximus will remain weak despite working on activation until weeks of strengthening are completed.

If you live in the Nashville area and want to learn more about neuromuscular activation relating to the hips, please consider attending my upcoming seminar on Saturday, March 25th. Chris Wolfe and myself will be hosting, ‘Take Control Through Balance & Coordination.’ This seminar will touch on the basics behind hip activation with strategies to apply immediately within your program to see results. It will also serve as a great self-assessment for you to gain better insight on how your body functions.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

The Mobility Monday Series Recap

March 28, 2016 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on March 28th, 2016 at 10:55am | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

Moving well is often assumed, without being assessed. Just because you are not in pain does not mean that you aren’t limited in some way, shape, or form. That is why having a go to guide for self-assessment and correction can be the difference between pain, injury, and dysfunction versus healthy, pain-free movement.

Over the past few months, I have created a series of videos called Mobility Monday. Each week reflected on a different joint throughout the kinetic chain to show you simple, black and white, self-assessment techniques. This is where I think most people fail. We typically know our strengths and weaknesses in other parts of life, but lack the knowledge of our own body. That is unacceptable.

Below you will find a brief overview of each area that was covered. I highly recommend completing the assessments for each body area highlighted. But, to save time, start where you think attention is needed.

***If you have pain, please seek the advice of a healthcare professional. These self-assessments were created solely for healthy, pain-free individuals to improve the quality of their movement.

Week #1: Great Toe
Week #2: Ankle
Week #3: Hip (Adductor)
Week #4: Hip (Hip Flexor and Posterior Capsule)
Week #5: Hip (Hamstring and Pelvic Position)
Week #6: Thoracic Spine
Week #7: Shoulder
Week #8: Addressing Neural Tension w/ Leah Sawyer

I hope this series opened your eyes to strategies that you can improve movement quality. Remember, even if you are pain-free that doesn’t mean these things don’t matter. We must take a prophylactic approach to movement and have the necessary knowledge to help ourselves rather than continue to compound underlying issues.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART