Hip Stability Exercise 1 – Gluteus Medius Clamshells

Hi, this is Dana Ranahan of Body Works Physiotherapy in North Vancouver. We’re here today with Holly to show you a clamshell exercise to help strengthen the Gluteus Medius muscle in the lateral part of the buttock area. This muscle is important for hip stability and strength.

  • Lie on your side with a pillow underneath your head. Hips are stacked up on top of each other and in line with the shoulders and heels.
  • In this position attempt to lift your top leg, just the top knee, keeping your feet together and pelvis neutral
  • Lift up towards the ceiling and lowering down
  • While doing this, we want to ensure that the pelvis stays neutral and that there’s no rolling back from the pelvis when lifting the leg.

Now we’re going to add in some breathing work in with it.

  • Breathing out as you lift your leg
  • Engaging the core and breathing in, lowering down maintaining stability.

You should feel some work happening in the lateral buttock area. This is where the muscle is located.

In this case we would work repetitions to fatigue with good technique usually aiming for about 10 to 15 repetitions, taking a short rest of less than one minute and repeating for three sets.