Where is the gluteus maximus

The gluteus maximus is actually located below the buttocks, and this muscle can actually be controlled by yourself. If you need to sit for a long time at work every day, you will feel a little pain in your buttocks over time. This is because the gluteus maximus is compressed for a long time. Proper stretching of the gluteus maximus will feel extremely comfortable and will also have a relaxing effect on the muscles.

The gluteus maximus is one of the posterior hip muscles. It is a wide and thick quadrilateral located under the buttocks skin. It originates from the outside of the hip bone and the back of the sacrum. The fibers slant outward and downward, covering the greater trochanter and ending at the gluteal tuberosity of the femur. This muscle can extend and externally rotate the thigh, straighten the trunk and prevent the trunk from leaning forward when the lower limbs are fixed to maintain body balance. It is innervated by the inferior gluteal nerve (L5, S1-2). The buttocks is the most common site for intramuscular injections due to the hypertrophy of this muscle.

Anatomy:

The gluteus maximus is a square, thick, flat muscle located under the skin of the buttocks. It starts from the back of the ilium behind the posterior gluteal line, the back of the sacrum and coccyx, the lumbar fascia and the sacrotuberous ligament. The muscle fibers run obliquely outward and downward. The upper muscle fibers cross the greater trochanter and migrate to the deep surface of the iliotibial band with aponeurosis. The lower muscle fibers end at the gluteal tuberosity of the femur with a thick tendon plate. The function of this muscle, when nearly fixed, is mainly to extend the thigh posteriorly, followed by adduction and external rotation. When fixed at a distance, the pelvis tilts backward and the trunk extends to maintain the human body's upright posture. This muscle plays an important role in extending the thigh when running and jumping. Exercises such as back kick, back kick, and prone back kick can develop the strength of the gluteus maximus. The gluteus maximus is innervated by the inferior gluteal nerve (sacral plexus L5-S2).

Gluteus maximus

Location: Subcutaneous on the buttocks on the posterior and lateral side of the pelvis.

Starting point: outside of iliac wing, back of sacrum, coccyx and sacrotuberous ligament.

Insertion: Gluteal tuberosity and iliotibial band.

Nerve supply: Inferior gluteal nerve arising from the sacral plexus of the spinal nerves.

Function: Near fixation allows the thigh to be extended and externally rotated at the hip joint; contraction of the upper part of the muscle allows the thigh to be abducted, while contraction of the lower part allows the thigh to be adducted.

The distal fixed side contracts, causing the pelvis to rotate to the opposite side. Contracting both sides simultaneously causes the pelvis to tilt posteriorly. And stretch the torso backward to maintain the balance of the body.

Examples of auxiliary exercises for developing gluteus maximus strength: (i) Prone “back leg”, kneeling push-up and back kick running exercises.

Examples of auxiliary exercises for developing gluteus maximus strength (II) include negative barbell step-ups, standing long jumps, negative barbell squats and weighted leg curls.