A macroscopic anatomical study of the appropriate palpation zone of the gluteus medius muscle.
Masayuki Tsuchida, Masakazu Shibata, Akira Iimura and 4 others
PMID 35937621WHAT IT FOUND
The gluteus medius has two fiber bundles, not three.
Its posterior fibers sit just under the skin between 62% and 83% of the iliac crest length. Palpate here to feel them contract without interference from the tensor fasciae latae or gluteus maximus.
Key findings
01The gluteus medius muscle was morphologically divided into two fiber bundles (anterior and posterior), each with an independent distal tendon and attachment to an intramuscular tendon.
02The posterior fibers of the gluteus medius are located subcutaneously between approximately 62% and 83% of the iliac crest length, without being covered by the tensor fasciae latae, iliotibial band, or gluteus maximus.
03Measurements of the border points between the gluteus medius and surrounding tissues showed high reproducibility within the same examiner.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study used cadavers, so it describes anatomy at rest, not muscle activity or palpation feel in living patients. All cadavers were older adults (mean age 74.8 years), so the amount of muscle atrophy or fatty infiltration may differ from younger, active populations. Reliability was only tested for the same examiner measuring the same specimen multiple times. It is unknown if two different therapists would find the same palpation zone. The sample size was small (seven cadavers). The study did not test if palpating this zone actually improves patient outcomes or exercise performance.
Declared interests
The work was supported by a JSPS KAKENHI grant. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this palpation zone is proven to improve clinical outcomes. The study only describes where the muscle lies under the skin in older cadavers. It does not show that palpating this specific area helps patients activate the gluteus medius better or reduces injury risk.