This One Exercise Can Fix Your Glute Weakness and Back Pain

It’s been going under your radar for far too long!

David Liira, Kin.
6 min readDec 10, 2023
Image from Li Sun on Pexels

Struggling with daily back pain? Tired of weak, tight glutes? There may just be one exercise that can solve all of your issues, or at least give you a huge head start. For whatever reason, this particular exercise is scarcely used as a rehab modality and has been neglected for years. If you haven’t already guessed…

I’m talking about the side plank leg raise.

While you may think that this is just your run-of-the-mill plank used in HIIT classes, it’s got far more going for it than meets the eye. The secret from a rehab perspective is its ability to simultaneously activate the glute medius and quadratus lumborum muscles, two of the most underutilized and weak areas in the human body.

By implementing this movement into your routine, you’ll drastically improve your mobility, stability, and strength in key areas of the hips and spine. This will lead to improved sport performance and elevated functionality in activities of daily life. While it may not be enough on its own, it’s been a key exercise for many of my patients in rediscovering pain-free living and I’m confident you’ll experience similar relief.

Let’s dive in!

Unlocking the Back &…

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David Liira, Kin.

Kinesiologist. Writing on health and the human condition. Clap and I clap back. https://www.davidliirakin.com