The 5 Best Strengthening Exercises for a Glute Minimus Tear: Regaining Strength

A gluteus minimus tear can be a painful and debilitating injury. The glute minimus muscle is located on the side of the hip and is responsible for stabilizing the pelvis during walking, running, and keeping us upright during single leg stance. A tear in this muscle can cause weakness, pain, and difficulty with everyday activities.

Fortunately, there are several strengthening exercises that can help to rehabilitate a gluteus minimus tear. These exercises target the gluteus minimus and surrounding muscles, helping improve strength, stability, and range of motion. By incorporating these exercises into a rehabilitation program, individuals with a gluteus minimus tear can speed up their recovery and return to normal activities more quickly.

In this blog post, we will review what a glute minimus tear is and go into detail about each of our favorite strengthening exercises hand-picked by a professional physical therapist.

What is a Glute Minimus Tear?

A glute minimus tear is an injury to the gluteus minimus muscle located in the buttocks and is responsible for hip abduction and lateral stability of the hip. This type of injury is common in athletes who participate in sports that require repetitive hip movements, such as running, jumping, and kicking.

A glute minimus tear can cause pain, swelling, and weakness in the affected area. The severity of the tear can vary from a small partial tear to a complete tear that requires surgery. The tear can also lead to complications like bursitis or tendinopathy.

The glute minimus tear is often caused by overuse but can also be the result of sudden trauma or injury. Risk factors for this type of injury include age, gender, and anatomical factors such as hip dysplasia or a leg length discrepancy.

Symptoms of a glute minimus tear can include pain and tenderness in the buttocks, difficulty walking or standing, and weakness in the affected leg. In severe cases, the area may also have bruising or swelling.

Treatment for a glute minimus tear depends on the severity of the injury. In mild cases, rest and physical therapy may be enough to relieve symptoms and promote healing. In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary to repair the tear.

Preventing a glute minimus tear involves maintaining a healthy weight, strengthening the gluteal muscles through exercise, and avoiding repetitive activities that strain the hips excessively.

Causes of a Glute Minimus Tear

The gluteus minimus is a small muscle located in the hip joint that plays a crucial role in maintaining balance and stability during movement. A tear in this muscle can occur due to a variety of reasons, including:

• Injuries: Direct trauma to the hip or pelvis can cause a tear in the gluteus minimus muscle. This can occur from a fall, car accident, or sports-related injury.
• Weakness: Weakness in the gluteus minimus muscle can increase the risk of developing a tear. This can be due to a sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, or muscle imbalances.
• Hip Stabilization: The gluteus minimus muscle is responsible for stabilizing the hip joint during movement. If the muscle is weak or not functioning properly, it can lead to instability in the hip joint, increasing the risk of a tear.
• Trendelenburg Gait: A Trendelenburg gait is a type of abnormal gait pattern that can occur due to weakness in the gluteus minimus muscle. This gait can increase the risk of developing a tear in the muscle.
• Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS): GTPS is a condition that causes pain in the outer hip region and is often associated with a tear in the gluteus minimus muscle. This condition can be caused by a variety of factors, including overuse, trauma, or muscle weakness.

It is important to note that a tear in the gluteus minimus muscle can occur gradually over time and may not always be caused by a specific event or injury. Regular exercise and proper muscle conditioning can help prevent tears in the gluteus minimus muscle and improve overall hip joint health.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis

A gluteus minimus tear can be diagnosed through a physical exam, imaging tests, and a discussion of the patient’s symptoms and medical history. A doctor or physical therapist may perform a physical exam to check for tenderness, swelling, and weakness in the hip area. They may also use imaging tests, such as an MRI or ultrasound, to confirm the diagnosis and determine the extent of the tear.

It can be difficult to differentiate between a glute medius and a glute minimus tear due to their location and similar actions. This would require an MRI to diagnose the two.

However, treatment for glute medius and glute minimus tears is nearly identical in the conservative phase. You do not need an MRI to begin strengthening exercises as they would be identical for both injuries.

Treatment

The treatment for a gluteus minimus tear depends on the severity of the injury. In most cases, rest and recovery are recommended to allow the muscle to heal. Physical therapy may also be recommended to help strengthen the muscles surrounding the hip and improve flexibility and mobility.

Simple rest is not enough to make a full recovery from a glute minimus tear

Rest will help with the pain and inflammation; however, the torn muscle fibers will remain weakened and vulnerable to future injuries. In order to make a full recovery, it’s critical to perform gradual strengthening exercises to stimulate the body’s repair process and build stronger fibers near the tear.

In some cases, surgery may be necessary to repair the tear. This is typically reserved for more severe cases where conservative treatments have not been effective and is quite rare.

Exercises for Strengthening the Glute Minimus Muscle

Exercises are an important part of the rehabilitation process for a gluteus minimus tear. They can help strengthen the muscles surrounding the hip, improve mobility, and prevent future injuries.

Some exercises that may be recommended include:

• Hip abduction exercises
• Isometric exercises
• Clamshells
• Side-lying hip abduction
• Hip thrust
• Side plank hip dips
• Static stretches

The 5 Best Strengthening Exercises for a Glute Minimus Tear

Bridge

This exercise targets the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and hamstrings. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips up toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes at the top. Lower back down and repeat.

Hip Abduction

This exercise targets the gluteus medius and minimus. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a resistance band around your ankles. Lift one leg out to the side, keeping your knee straight. Lower back down and repeat on the other side.

Standing Lateral Step Down

This exercise targets the gluteus medius and minimus. Stand with the affected or targeted foot on the edge of a step. Slowly lower yourself to barely tap the heel of the non-affected foot to the floor and immediately come back up. Don’t put weight on the foot so that you are balancing on the affected leg the entire time with no rest.

Side Plank Hip Dips

This exercise targets the obliques and gluteus medius. Start in a side plank position, with your elbow on the ground and your body in a straight line. Lower your hip down toward the ground, then lift back up and repeat.

Single-leg Bridge

This exercise targets the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and hamstrings. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift one leg up, keeping your knee bent. Lift your hips toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes at the top. Lower back down and repeat on the other side.

Preventing a Glute Minimus Tear

Preventing a gluteus minimus tear is key to maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. Strengthening the muscles around the hip joint, maintaining mobility, and regularly exercising are all critical factors in preventing this type of injury. Additionally, it is important to gradually increase activity levels to avoid overuse injuries.

Strengthening exercises for the gluteus minimus include side-lying leg lifts, clamshells, and lateral band walks. These exercises can help improve the hip joint’s stability and prevent injuries. It is important to start with low resistance and gradually increase the difficulty of the exercises over time.

Maintaining good hip mobility is also important in preventing a gluteus minimus tear. Stretching exercises such as Figure-4, hip flexor stretches, and cross-over glutes stretches can help to improve flexibility and reduce the risk of injury.

Regular exercise is important in preventing a gluteus minimus tear. Exercising at least three times a week is recommended, incorporating cardiovascular and strength training exercises. It is important to gradually increase the intensity of the workouts over time to avoid overuse injuries. Regular cardiovascular exercise keeps your muscles resilient to high levels of stress and repetitive activity.

In conclusion, preventing a gluteus minimus tear is achievable through a combination of strengthening exercises, maintaining mobility, regular exercise, and gradually increasing activity levels. By taking these steps, you can reduce your risk of injury and maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.

Conclusion

A gluteus minimus tear can be a painful and debilitating injury, but it is possible to recover and prevent future injuries with the correct diagnosis and treatment. Exercises targeting the gluteal muscles, such as hip abduction, can be a practical part of the rehabilitation process.

The stronger the glute minimus muscle and tendon are, the less likely you are to have issues in the future with any increase in activity.

Let us know in the comments below about your favorite glute minimus exercise and if you recovered from a tear.