Muscular Imbalance: Very active people in particular often suffer from pain and injuries, which sometimes even prevent them from exercising. However, what many do not know is that the cause of the complaint is often not in the bones but in the muscles .
X-ray, MRI and ultrasound examinations are often inconspicuous, but they can provide clues to the diagnosis, for example through recognizable bursitis .
What exactly is a muscular imbalance?
A muscular imbalance describes an imbalance caused by muscle shortening or
muscle weakening between the agonist (“player”) and antagonist (“opponent”), i.e. between the opposing muscles.
An example is the shoulder. In most people, the front and upper shoulder muscles are significantly stronger than the back muscles, as they are used much more often in everyday life.
Both the front and the upper and the rear shoulder muscles serve to stabilize the humerus through the train. Due to a frequently occurring muscular imbalance, the humerus is pulled up so far by the upper shoulder muscle that it touches the acromion. The “weak” posterior deltoid cannot counteract the forces, which leads to what is known as “impension syndrome” and associated shoulder pain.
Another example is weak glutes. If, for example, the left buttock muscles are weak, the pelvis tilts to the right side – this pelvic instability can also lead to back pain. This system can be applied to the whole body.
So many orthopedic complaints can be traced back to an imbalance in the muscles
. Those affected then suffer from the following symptoms, for example:
- Achilles tendon problems
- patellar tip syndromes
- shin splints
- back pain
- groin pain
- heel spur
- Misalignments (e.g. pelvic obliquity)
Are there any therapy options?
Recognizing the cause of the complaint is the basis for individual therapy. The best way to do this is with a sports medicine movement analysis, in which muscular imbalances can be optimally identified using a video-supported procedure.
Based on the findings of the movement analysis, muscular imbalances can then be corrected through individual training and physiotherapy.
If the athlete suffers from pelvic instability, the doctor creates an individual training plan. Since pelvic instability is often the result of weak buttock muscles, the training plan also includes exercises to strengthen the affected muscles.
If a misalignment is detected based on the findings of the movement analysis, it can also be corrected with custom-made shoe inserts. In order to remain free of symptoms in the long term, however, the muscular imbalance must first be recognized and then treated.
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