Having suffered 13 full dislocations of my right shoulder as a teenager I learnt the hardway of what a significant muscle imbalance at a joint can cause. More recently I have witnessed an increase in muscle imbalances in new clients which I feel needs addressing. These imbalances can be anterior / posterior or even right / left side imbalances. They can affect the whole body or just a single joint, but all imbalances can put stress on the body resulting in injuries, postural issues or just aches and pains.
What Is Muscle Imbalance?
The joints in your body are enveloped by muscles that coordinate their movements. These muscle groups counterbalance each other and work together to complete a movement. The muscles on either side of the joints and the bones need to be equally strong and flexible to properly carry out these movements. When the muscles on one side become weaker, it causes muscle imbalances. Muscle imbalances need to be attended to right away, or they can cause serious injuries. I have seen this example more frequently in people’s shoulders, tight rotator cuff muscles from poor posture, driving and sitting for prolonged periods at a desk restrict shoulder mobility. If left imbalanced this can develop in to frozen shoulder, impingement or even subluxation. See my article on rotator cuff injuries – http://www.enjoyfitnessstudio.co.uk/blog/rotator-cuff-damage-working-from-home
Muscle imbalances also impact joint positions when they are not used and take them along a different path of motion than they were originally meant to do. This is common in people’s knees, and increased during lock down as people started running without really following a technique or ensuring muscle balance and stretching. The patella (knee cap) can be pulled out of its correct alignment, causing sharp knee pain, although the issue isnt at the knee but an imbalance in the muscles further up the leg
Another type of muscle imbalance is known as the body muscular imbalance. In this situation, the muscles throughout one side of your body are weaker than those on the other. This often manifests itself into bad backs or neck soreness. A great example below of a client coming in with a right/left imbalance. See the videos at . With work the imbalanced can be corrected. This client took just 10 sessions to improve.
If you regularly use the muscles on one side more than the other, they get stronger, shorter, and tighter, with the muscle imbalance meaning that the other side simultaneously gets weaker, longer, and looser.
Muscle Imbalance Causes
Muscle imbalance, meaning inconsistency in the strength of the muscles on either side of the joints, is typically caused by one of the following occurrences.
Repeatedly moving the same muscles. This is one of the most common causes of muscle imbalances. Repeatedly doing the same motion may cause the muscle to become semi-contracted. This could modify the position of the joint too. This could happen during a workout, but repeated movements at work can also cause muscle imbalances. If your job requires you to do a specific activity repeatedly, see if you can find ways to modify this movement. Be aware that jobs that require lots of driving or computer mouse use are very one side dominant and have a huge long term impact in the body. Undertaking a stretch or muscle conditioning session regularly can reduce the risk of these occupations.
A lack of activity can also cause muscle imbalances, especially in the hips. Many people lead a sedentary life where most of the day is spent sitting – at home, in the car, or at work. When you’re sitting, though, the hip muscles contract, which makes the muscles responsible for extending the hips (called the gluteus maximus) redundant.
Single plane exercises. Many exercises like push-ups and squats involve moving the muscles in a single plane. Multiple exercises involving single-plane movement, though, could cause muscle imbalances. Using functional exercises, such as the BOSU, TRX or ViPRs can help multidirectional exercise, strengthen the supporting muscles around a joint.
Muscle Imbalance Symptoms
Regular workout or exercise helps strengthen most muscle groups. Sometimes, though, the same body parts are consistently sore after a workout or an activity. This is a clear sign of muscle imbalance.
If you notice that one side of your body is unusually stronger, it could be due to a muscle imbalance. Other signs include lopsided balance or flexibility in your body.
Poor posture is both a cause and sign of muscle imbalance. Continuously sitting, maintaining an incorrect posture when you stand or sit, or letting your shoulders droop for a long time could leave a few muscles unworked, making them weak.
Find out If You Have a Muscle Imbalance
Your body uses muscles on either side of the joints and bones to manage movements. When these muscles are not balanced, it hampers your movement and could lead to injuries. At the least, it may lead to noticeably poor posture. While you can still do movements if you have weak muscles, keep in mind that many tendons and ligaments that support muscle activity could also be affected if you are not careful
If you feel you may have a muscle imbalance, book an assessment with one of the PTs at EnjoyFitness and we will be happy to assess the risks to you and help prevent any long term injury or discomfort. Don’t end up with 13 dislocated shoulder occurrences like I did!
