The posterior chain is a group of muscles consisting
predominantly of tendons and ligaments on the posterior of the body.The posterior chain is simply the backside of your body
and its primary muscles include the lower back, gluteus maximus (glutes),
hamstrings, and calves. This area is often neglected and misunderstood.
Describing the role of your glute muscles in the
posterior chain:
The focus here will be on the function and importance of
the glutes. When the glutes become inhibited the posterior chain is not
functioning properly. The low back and the hamstrings then have to take on the
work of the glutes, and along with these muscles being overworked the IT Band ( iliotibial tract, also known as the iliotibial band, is a thick strip of connective tissue connecting several muscles in the lateral thigh) ,
TFL (TFL is a hip abductor muscle) plus the piriformis also take on an additional load, leading to a whole
cascade of low back, hip, knee, ankle, and foot problems.
The role of the glutes at the pelvis is to
posterior tilt the pelvis. This is misunderstood and is often poorly executed;
most people end up extending from the lumbar spine instead of from the hips.
When people cannot rotate the pelvis properly it is based off weak glutes plus
short/tight quadriceps/psoas and resulting back pain.
The glutes role around the spine is simple, if you
don’t have strong glutes you are going to extend and flex at the spine instead.
Strong glutes encourage good lifting and movement technique. The glutes also
have the best leverage out of all the muscles in rotation based movements such
a revolved crescent.
The
glutes role around the sacrum is to provide stability through an action called
force closure. Force closure is an outside force and is required if the joint
has movement. The fibers of the glutes and hamstrings attach to the sacrum and
when they contract help create this force closure for stability
- The glutes role around the anterior hip (front), when you use mainly the hamstrings without the co-contraction of the glutes, they will pull the head of the femur forward into the acetabulum (hip socket). Without the co-contraction of the glutes or if you do not have strong glutes to keep that from happening you are going to get anterior hip pain. The glutes pull backwards on the femur and track it properly in the hip socket and thus preventing anterior hip pain
- The glutes role around the knee, is to help keep the knees tracking out (knees tracking on 2nd/3rd toe) when in low positions like a squat, this is when glute medius has the best leverage and becomes an internal rotator. Muscles change roles in hip extension/flexion depending on the depth
Proper glute activation and strength is necessary for
force to transfer and movement to be efficient. Because of the many roles of
the glutes, they also play a role in posture and have a cascading affect. All
you have to do is look at posture (forward head posture, rounded upper back,
pot belly or pouchy belly, flat sagging butt) and the pain people are suffering
from today and see the importance of the glutes in the ways mentioned.
PROLONGED SITTING THE BIGGEST ENEMY OF GLUTES:
There are two main reasons why. The first reason is many people sit 8-10+ hours per day. Because of the seated position the quadriceps/psoas become adaptively short and tight, further inhibiting the glutes. Sitting is another enemy of the glutes. When you sit all
day you are in the position of hip flexion and there is adaptive shortening and
tightening of the quads/psoas. When this happens, there is also an additional
neurological response of shutting down the opposing muscle (the glutes); this
is called reciprocal inhibition.
SO?
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