Do you stand with more weight on one leg?

If you are someone who always stands with more weight going through one leg, then you run the risk of upsetting a small but important muscle called gluteus medius. Not only can you develop pain from the muscle itself, but you can also develop hip, pelvis and back problems as well.

Gluteus medius connects your hip  and the pelvis, and its primary role is to help stabilise the pelvis and support movements of the hip joint. When you walk, run, or even just stand on one leg, the gluteus medius keeps your pelvis level and prevents it from tilting to one side.

Gluteus Medius

When people habitually stand with slightly more of their weight running through one of their legs, imbalances can develop in their gluteus medius muscles over time. One side can become tight and shortened, and the other side can become stretched and weak. In these situations, the pelvis can end up slightly tilted and a torsion can be introduced into the spine leading to back pain.  

Michaleangelo’s statue of David.

Probably the most famous example of standing with more weight on one leg than the other is Michaleangelo’s statue of David. Notice how his weight is going down his right leg and his pelvis is dipped down to the left. This position even has its own name in art - contrapposto.

One study in people with hip replacements showed that they tended to load the non-replaced hip by anywhere between an extra 10 and 20 % when walking, standing or getting up from a chair. Another study showed that women were more likely to stand asymmetrically then men. There’s also a pretty clear association between having weak gluteus medius muscles and low back pain.

What can be done about this problem?

1. Prevention - Try to stand in a more balanced way

If your job or lifestyle requires that you stand for long periods of time, then try to become more aware of how balanced you are. In particular, make a point of switching to a more neutral stance where your weight is distributed more evenly between your legs. 

Below is an excellent 5 minute video by an Alexander Technique expert who gives some useful pointers about what to watch for when trying to improve your standing posture. It covers foot positioning and spacing and which parts of your feet should take the weight, along with advice about head position and keeping your stance mobile.

Tips for better standing posture

2. Strengthening Exercises

If you have a longstanding uneven standing position, then you probably also have an imbalance in the strength and tone of your gluteus medius muscles. One side will need strengthening and shortening and the other side will need to be lengthened and relaxed off.  Rather than trying to work out which is which, it’s easier just to work on both sides.

Strengthening - Here is a simple and effective exercise to strengthen the gluteus medius muscles. Please note - the video shows someone using a thick band to make the exercise more difficult - to start with you can do the exercise without the band.  If you want to use some ‘glute bands’ you can buy them for under £10 from Amazon here.

Simple exercise for strengthening gluteus medius.

3. Stretching

Here is a simple and effective exercise to stretch your gluteus medius muscles. 

Simple exercise to stretch gluteus medius.

As always, if you experience anything more than mild discomfort during these exercises or you are not sure that they are right for you then please discontinue them and seek some guidance.

If you are suffering from a hip, pelvis or back problem then don’t suffer, book an appointment for your problem at Osteo Studio.

Cliff Russell, Registered Osteopath

Osteo Studio serving the areas of East Grinstead, Forest Row, Lingfield and the wider West Sussex area.