Published Paper Details:

Musculoskeletal dysfunctions such as sacroiliac joint pain, hip instability, and hamstring cramping are often linked to gluteus maximus weakness and impaired lumbopelvic stability. Gluteus Maximus Activation (GMA) has emerged as a therapeutic intervention to restore neuromuscular control, enhance force closure, and improve functional outcomes in various clinical populations. This critical review aimed to bridge the gap in existing literature and assess the clinical efficacy of GMA in managing musculoskeletal conditions. An extensive search was conducted through PubMed, EBSCO, EMBASE, and Google Scholar for studies published between 2020 and 2025. The inclusion criteria covered randomized controlled trials, comparative studies, pre-post experimental designs, case reports, case series and systematic review in English that evaluated GMA interventions. A total of 7 studies met the eligibility criteria: two randomized controlled trials, one comparative study, one pre-post experimental study, one case series, one systematic review, and one case report. All studies demonstrated positive therapeutic outcomes, including reductions in pain, improvements in pelvic and hip biomechanics, functional mobility, and neuromuscular coordination. The results suggest that GMA may be effective across a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. However, heterogeneity in methodologies and outcome measures, along with the limited number of high-quality RCTs, restricts strong conclusions. Further research with standardized protocols and larger sample sizes is warranted to validate the long-term efficacy and comparative advantage of GMA over other interventions.