Gluteus maximus

The gluteal muscles are the three muscles that make up the human buttocks. The gluteal muscles are formed of the gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus and gluteus medius. Collectively the area of the gluteal muscles is often referred to as the bottom, butt, ass, or rear-end. Image File history File links Gluteus_maximus. ... Image File history File links Gluteus_maximus. ... Bottom commonly refers to the human buttocks but also has other uses The buttocks (anatomical nates, clunium, gluteus, regio glutealis) are rounded portions of the anatomy located on the posterior of the pelvic region of the apes, humans and many other bipeds or quadrupeds. ... The gluteus maximus is the largest of the gluteus muscles which are located in the buttock. ... The gluteus maximus is the largest of the gluteus muscles which are located in the buttock. ... The gluteus maximus is the largest of the gluteus muscles which are located in the buttock. ...

The gluteal muscles

The gluteus maximus is the uppermost of the three muscles, and is commonly known as the butt cheek. It is the largest of the gluteal muscles and, by some definitions, is the most powerful muscle of the human body (see Muscle). It inserts at the iliotibial band and the gluteal tuberosity of the femur. Its action is to extend and outwardly rotate hip, and extend the trunk. A top-down view of skeletal muscle Muscle (from Latin musculus little mouse [1]) is contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. ... Trinomial name Homo sapiens sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Humans, or human beings, are bipedal primates belonging to the mammalian species Homo sapiens (Latin: wise man or knowing man) under the family Hominidae (the great apes). ... Human anatomy or anthropotomy is a special field within anatomy. ... A top-down view of skeletal muscle Muscle (from Latin musculus little mouse [1]) is contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. ... The deep fascia of the thigh is named, from its great extent, the fascia lata; it constitutes an investment for the whole of this region of the limb, but varies in thickness in different parts. ... A tubercle is a round nodule, small eminence, or warty outgrowth found on bones, the lip of certain orchids, cacti, or as the small rounded nodule forming the characteristic lesion of tuberculosis. ... The femur or thigh bone is the longest, most voluminous, and strongest bone of the human body. ...

Powerlifting exercises which are known to significantly strengthen the gluteus maximus include the squat and the deadlift. The leg press also uses the gluteus maximus. The bench press is one of the three events of powerlifting. ... The squat is a lower body exercise used in strength training. ... The Deadlift is a weight training exercise where one lifts a loaded barbell (or, in the case of the trapbar deadlift, a loaded trapbar) off the ground from a stabilized bent-over position. ... The leg press is a weight training exercise in which the individual pushes a weight away from them using their legs. ...

Gray's FIG. 434– Muscles of the gluteal and posterior femoral regions.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (368x1000, 186 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Wikipedia:Grays Anatomy images with missing articles 9 Piriformis muscle Obturator internus muscle Inferior gemellus muscle Superior gemellus muscle Obturator externus muscle Quadratus femoris muscle Tensor... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (368x1000, 186 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Wikipedia:Grays Anatomy images with missing articles 9 Piriformis muscle Obturator internus muscle Inferior gemellus muscle Superior gemellus muscle Obturator externus muscle Quadratus femoris muscle Tensor... An illustration from the 1918 edition Henry Grays Anatomy of the Human Body, commonly known as Grays Anatomy after Henry Gray, is an anatomy textbook widely regarded as a classic work on human anatomy. ...

Problems associated with the gluteal muscles

Sitting for long periods can lead to the gluteal muscles atrophying through constant pressure and disuse. This may be associated with (although not necessarily the cause of) lower back pain, difficulty with some movements that naturally require the gluteal muscles, such as rising from the seated position, and climbing stairs. Some attribute severe menstrual cycles including mood swings and irritability to gluteal muscle atrophy, however, there are a vast array of known contributors to dysmenorrhoea, and currently clinical evidence of such a causative association is lacking. Dysmenorrhea (or dysmenorrhoea), cramps or painful menstruation, involves menstrual periods that are accompanied by either sharp, intermittent pain or dull, aching pain, usually in the pelvis or lower abdomen. ...

The bulk of the gluteal muscle mass contributes only partially to shape of the buttocks. The other major contributing factor is that of the panniculus adiposus of the buttocks, which is very well developed in this area, and gives the buttock its characteristic rounded shape. Although the gluteal muscle bulk and tone can be improved with massage and exercise, it is the disposition of the overlying panniculus adiposus which may be responsible for the "sagging butt" phenomenon. The panniculus adiposus is part of the subcutaneous tissue. ...

Treatment

Studies have shown that exercise and massage are effective at reversing and protecting against atrophy of these muscles. Poisoning by eating Lathyrus sativus Indian Pea or khesari dhal will lead to emaciation of Buttock muscles.Lathyrus Sativus. Neurolathyrism. Homeopathy Repertory. Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body. ... Binomial name Lathyrus sativus Lathyrus sativus, is a legume (family Fabaceae) commonly grown for human consumption and livestock feed in Asia and Africa. ... Lathyrism or Neurolathyrism is a neurological disease of humans and domestic animals, caused by eating certain legumes of the genus Lathyrus. ...

Exercise and stretching

Any exercise that works and/or stetches the buttocks is suitable, for example lunges, climbing stairs, fencing, bicycling, squats, arabesque, aerobics, and various specific exercises for the bottom. A lunge performed with dumbbells held in each hand. ... Fencing advertisement for the 1900 Summer Olympic Games This article is about the sport, which is distinguished from stage fencing and academic fencing (mensur). ... Cycling is a recreation, a transport across land. ... The squat is a lower body exercise used in strength training. ... For more on the equestrian movement, see pirouette (dressage). ... Aerobics is an effective physical exercise which is often done to music. ...

Powerlifting exercises which are known to significantly strengthen the gluteal muscles include the squat and the deadlift. Another weight training exercise involving the glutes is the leg press. The bench press is one of the three events of powerlifting. ... The squat is a lower body exercise used in strength training. ... The Deadlift is a weight training exercise where one lifts a loaded barbell (or, in the case of the trapbar deadlift, a loaded trapbar) off the ground from a stabilized bent-over position. ... A complete weight training workout can be performed with a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a set of weight disks (plates). ... The leg press is a weight training exercise in which the individual pushes a weight away from them using their legs. ...

Massage

Gluteal exercise and stretching must be accompanied by therapeutic massage both in the relaxed muscle condition and during the neuron firing of muscle flexing and stretching. In order to properly restore the gluteal muscle group, the first step is to relax the entire neck, shoulders, arms and back region with massage. Once the patient's upper body is relaxed, effleurage (light but thorough stroking with fingers and palms) of the top, middle, bottom and side portions of the gluteal muscles (entire buttock and top thigh areas) is used to initiate the gluteal muscle group massage while the buttocks are in the relaxed condition with the patient lying face down with the hips slightly elevated, a pillow having been placed under the pelvis. The purpose of the effleurage is to fire the neurons near the surface of the muscle group. Attention should also be given to the gluteal fold, the crease where buttocks meet thighs, as this is a sensitive area where major muscles are joined. Effleurage is a massage stroke used to warm up the muscle before deep tissue work using petrissage. ...

At least 10 minutes of effleurage should be used before moving to a deeper muscle massage... but only as the muscles loosen sufficiently. The top, middle and bottom areas of the buttocks as well as the tops and all sides of the thighs are massaged with increasing firmness in order to stimulate the neurons deeply embedded within the muscle group. Liberal amounts of massage lotion should be used as this area can require very deep massage as the muscles loosen and permit it.

Some massage schools reportedly teach the use of the double handed repetitive "chop" alternating with slapping of the maximus area. The chop fires the deeply embedded neurons while the slap fires the surface neurons. If this is done while the patient is alternately flexing and relaxing, the result is almost total neuron firing and should be followed up with additional effleurage to totally relax the muscle group. Obviously communication between therapist and patient is important at this stage.

Attention should be given to the gluteal fold with increasing pressure. This being a sensitve area, the therapist should communicate freely with the patient to determine the proper amount of pressure needed to relax these muscles. The therapist can simultaneously use both of his or her thumbs beginning in the middle where the thighs and buttocks meet, and slowing moving the thumbs outward and around the tops of the thighs to eventually use the fingers to massage the fold where thigh meets abdomen (another area where muscles are joined).

The two massage regimes (effleurage and deep muscle massage) are then repeated with the gluteal muscle group in the process of active neuron firing. That is, the areas should be massaged while the patient is actually performing the various exercises and stretches outlined above as well as others tailored by the therapist. It is reported that this results in exterior and interior neuron firing in such a way that the entire muscle group's shape, tension and overall health is restored rapidly. A weekly cycle of massage is required to achieve good results.

See also

Gluteal crease

External links

• 8b. The Muscles and Fasciæ of the Thigh Bartleby.com, Henry Gray, Anatomy of the Human Body, 1918.
• Glutes Stretch

References

McMinn, RMH (Ed) (1994) Last's Anatomy: Regional and applied (9th Ed). London: Churchill Livingstone. ISBN 0-443-04662-X