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Gluteal Strain

(Pulled Gluteal Muscle)

by Laurie LaRusso, MS, ELS

En Español (Spanish Version)

Definition

A strained gluteal muscle is a partial or complete tear of the small fibers of the gluteal muscles. The gluteal muscles are a group of 3 muscles in the buttocks.

Posterior Hip and Thigh Muscles

Causes

A gluteal strain can be caused by:

Stretching the gluteal muscles beyond the amount of tension that they can withstand
Suddenly putting stress on the gluteal muscles when they are not ready for the stress
A direct blow to the gluteal muscles

Risk Factors

Factors that may increase your chance of getting gluteal strain include:

Participation in sports that require bursts of speed. This includes track sports like running, hurdles, or long jump. Other sports include basketball, soccer, football, or rugby.
Previous gluteal injury
Fatigue
Overexertion
Tight gluteal muscles

Symptoms

Symptoms may include:

Pain and tenderness in the buttocks
Stiffness in the gluteal muscles
Weakness of the gluteal muscles
Bruising on the buttocks

Diagnosis

You will be asked about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done.

Most gluteal strains can be diagnosed with a physical exam. Images may be needed if severe damage is suspected. Images may be taken with an MRI scan.

Muscle strains are graded according to their severity:

Grade 1—Some stretching with micro-tearing of muscle fibers
Grade 2—Partial tearing of muscle fibers
Grade 3—Complete tearing of muscle fibers; this may also be called a rupture or avulsion

Treatment

Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Recovery time ranges depending on the grade of your injury. Treatment steps may include:

Supportive Care

Your muscles will need time to heal. RICE is often the main part of treatment:

Rest—Activities will need to be restricted at first. Normal activities will be reintroduced gradually.
Ice—Ice therapy may help relieve swelling. Heat or cold may be advised throughout recovery if they provide benefits.
Compression—Used for a limited time, compression bandages can provide gentle pressure to help move fluids out of the area.
Elevation—Keeping the area elevated can help fluids drain out or prevent fluids from building up.

Prescription or over-the-counter medications may be advised to reduce pain and inflammation.

Prevention

To reduce the chance that you will strain a gluteal muscle:

Keep your gluteal muscles strong so they can absorb the energy of sudden physical stress.
Learn the proper technique for exercise and sporting activities. This will decrease stress on all your muscles, including your gluteal muscles.

RESOURCES:

American Council on Exercise
http://www.acefitness.org

Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians
http://www.familydoctor.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca

Healthy U
http://www.healthyalberta.com

REFERENCES:

Bourne MN, Timmins RG, Opar DA, et al. An evidence-based framework for strengthening exercises to prevent hamstring injury. Sports Med.2018;48(2):251-267.

Derry S, Moore RA, Gaskell H, McIntyre M, Wiffen PJ. Topical NSAIDs for acute musculoskeletal pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2015;(6):CD007402.

Lehecka BJ, Edwards M, Haverkamp R, et al. Building a better gluteal bridge: Electromyographic analysis of hip muscle activity during modified single-leg bridges. Internat J Sports Phys Ther. 2017;12(4):543-549.

Muscle strains in the thigh. Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00366. Updated March 2014. Accessed February 23, 2018.

Sports-related groin pain. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115701/Sports-related-groin-pain. Updated March 2, 2017. Accessed February 23, 2018.

10/26/2010 DynaMed Plus Systematic Literature Surveillancehttp://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115701/Sports-related-groin-pain: Massey T, Derry S, Moore R, McQuay H. Topical NSAIDs for acute pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010;(6):CD007402.

Last reviewed March 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Laura Lei-Rivera, PT, DPT, GCS Last Updated: 3/18/2013

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