Is there any way to strengthen one buttock/hip?

[SilverHawk]

I broke the leg several years ago and I've only just realised how weak it has left the hip area. I seem to be doing everything with the leading/dominant leg. The leg itself is fine. Noticed it as I was using the weaker side to lead up the stairs (in twos).

Split exercises. So split squats, single leg extentions, single leg press, seated hamstring ect all done single legs and do more on the weaker side to try and even it up

Yes. There are specific physio exercises for hips/glutes. My advice would be to book a session with a private physio so they can assess you and do you a set of tailored exercises (as well as showing you the correct form etc). I know it can be £££ but it is invaluable if you have a longstanding injury.

How do you do these single squats? I think I can figure out the others.

Thank you both for the advice. I was wondering if it was a gym or physio problem.

The physio will give you a set of exercises you can do at home (clamshells for e.g.) and advise on how to build on your strength safely at the gym (if that's what you want to do). PT's at the gym are good but for an initial assessment where previous skeletal injury is concerned, I'd be consulting a healthcare professional, in the first instance. The PT's at the gym will be great once you've built that baseline strength back.

I injured my knee and had referred pain in one buttock about 10 years ago, I got a nhs physio referral, they gave me series of exercises. However I have recently started learning to swim properly and my instructor and I have noticed that one leg is a great deal weaker than the other. Swimming seems to be a great way of making both legs work equally, otherwise I swim in a diagonal ! It is also making one buttock ache a far bit after the sessions but I think it is because it is working fully for the first time in a few years.

It sounds as if the physio is the first port of call. I agree that the whole area needs assessing. I'd rather do everything at home/garden than join a gym.
Leaving It does catch up on us eventually I must be in a similar situation. Although I mentioned a break, there have been even more injuries, all on that side bloody unlucky

Another vote for swimming here - I have similar issue.

It came to light last weekend, I'd walked about 14,000 steps and faltered walking upstairs (normally). DD was behind me and noticed.

Split single squats

One leg elevated behind you, can do it off a bench or just a sofa, bodyweight, weights, tins of beans, child under each arm

www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/name/split-squat-with-dumbbells

Physio and yoga (yoga because it a) makes you more aware of what muscles are working and b) strengthens whole body).

I had a severe issue in my upper leg/buttock on the left side, which was causing instability across the whole of my pelvic area (my stupid immune system attacked my own main nerve in the area - it had already done the same to my right shoulder a few years previously). It meant I had massive muscle wastage on the one side of buttock and upper thigh which being fat somewhat hid . I knew there was an issue but starting yoga helped me realise just how much my lower back and other buttock/thigh were over working to compensate. 12 weeks of yoga and most of the imbalance has gone. When I first started there was a huge difference in using the different sides in lots of the poses and in the amount of effort required. Now there is only a very slight difference. It's made such a difference to the whole stability of my body, reducing pain in hips, back, back of legs, etc and got me off meds I'd been on for a couple of years. I can walk easily now (I used to struggle after a short distance with pain because of the degree of indifference).

Unilateral leg and glutes excercises will help fix he problem but it will take time that notice but well worth it.

Second the physio recommendation. I had two sessions with a physio and got some focussed exercises to counter pain in my hip post pregnancy/end of breastfeeding/carrying heavy baby on one hip and he also flagged that I was hyper mobile. 6 weeks later I was basically okay and I now know how to hold my body to prevent it relapsing.

There were only about 3 exercises that I needed to do. It took about 5 minutes a day. It really helped

It sounds really odd to say this but I am such a strong swimmer that it would not help. (like walking).
Mulch that is too much at the moment. I will remember, thank you.
I think that I need a physio as the first port of call.
Nom How do I find a good physio? not just the sports injury clinics that seem to be everywhere.
BLUE my DD likes the idea of yoga for me but I need to know what the problem is first.

I had this realisation recently. I developed a problem with my hip, which after several years was finally identified and I was booked for surgery.

The surgery was effective, but the combination of keeping off it post-surgery, favouring the weaker leg for 5 years prior to surgery and crap physio meant I was a lot weaker in one leg than the other.

I didn't try and target one leg though. I joined a local fitness centre and do 3 dance fit type classes a week now where I was doing one before. I noticed that one leg certainly ached a lot more than the other for a while, and I'm more wobbly when balancing on my weaker leg still, but stairs are no longer a problem.

I also made it a conscious thing to go up steps with my weaker leg first to make sure I used it more.

DrMad I've been going up the stairs on the weaker leg for two weeks now, I can feel a difference. I can't dance , I'd end up looking like somebody on You Tube :(

Your GP surgery will probably know some good private physios - mine did.

I would definitely recommend a physio - it doesn't need to be expensive, I only had one short appointment and then a follow up call.
I went because I had knee pain when running and she diagnosed a problem with my running gait which was due to my quad muscles being much stronger than my glutes.
She gave me some exercises to strengthen my glutes (clam shell with a resistance band between my legs, and hip thrusts with one leg in the air.) you could do both of those exercises on just one side to strengthen that side but I think it's better to see a professional so they can recommend the best exercises for you.