In our latest training session, we focused on core muscle and gluteus medius strength testing, corrective exercises, and joint mobilization techniques for the spine, hips, and knees.
Why Core and Gluteus Medius Strength Are Important
The core muscles control an important role in stabilizing the spine and pelvis during everyday movements such as walking, standing, sitting, running, and exercising.
The gluteus medius, located on the side of the hip, is also very important for controlling the pelvis and lower limb, especially when standing or moving on one leg.
When these muscles are weak or not functioning properly, the body may compensate by using other muscles or changing its movement pattern. Over time, this may increase stress on different areas of the body and can contribute to problems such as lower back pain, hip pain, and knee pain.
For this reason, checking muscle strength is an important part of physical therapy and rehabilitation.
Releasing Tight Muscles Is Not Always Enough
Many patients come to us because their muscles constantly feel tight. Massage, manual therapy, or acupuncture may help release the muscles and reduce pain and stiffness.
However, if muscle weakness, poor movement control, or posture is contributing to the problem, simply releasing the tight muscles may only provide temporary relief.
For example, if the core muscles are not providing enough stability, other muscles around the lower back may have to work harder. Similarly, weakness of the gluteus medius may affect pelvic stability and change the way the hip, knee, and lower back are loaded during movement.
In these cases, treatment should not only focus on relaxing the painful or tight area. We also need to assess the patient’s movement and strength and introduce the appropriate exercises.
At Pain Away Clinic, our approach may combine physical therapy, manual therapy, acupuncture, posture assessment, and exercise depending on each patient’s condition.
Practicing Hip, Knee and Spinal Mobilization
Another important part of this staff training session was joint mobilization.
We practiced mobilization techniques for the knee, hip, and spine. Joint mobilization uses controlled movements to help improve joint mobility and restore better movement when a joint has become stiff or restricted.
These techniques are different from the quick “cracking” movements that many people associate with chiropractic adjustments. Mobilization can be performed gradually and gently without producing a cracking sound.
Improving joint movement can also be important when treating pain. Sometimes a patient feels muscle tightness because the nearby joint is not moving properly. In this situation, repeatedly treating only the muscle may not be enough.
This is why our therapists learn to assess both muscles and joints before deciding which treatment is appropriate.
Combining Physical Therapy, Acupuncture and Exercise
There is no single treatment that is best for every patient.
Some patients may benefit more from manual therapy and joint mobilization, while others may benefit from acupuncture to help manage pain and muscle tension. For patients with weakness or poor movement control, strengthening and corrective exercises are also important parts of the treatment plan.
The important point is to first understand the patient’s condition and then choose the right combination of treatments.
At Pain Away Clinic in Bangkok, we continue to train our therapists regularly in physical therapy, acupuncture, manual therapy, assessment, joint mobilization, and rehabilitation exercises.
We believe that improving our assessment skills is just as important as learning new treatment techniques.
Our aim is not simply to ask, “Where does it hurt?” and treat that area.
We want to understand why the pain is happening, what may be contributing to it, and what needs to change to achieve a longer-lasting result.
