The Back, Hip, and IT Band Connection — How They Support Your Core

Your core isn't complete without the muscles of your back and hips. These structures anchor the spine, control movement, and help maintain alignment from top to bottom.

The Back Muscles That Stabilize You

Erector Spinae

A long group of muscles running along your spine. They keep you upright, support lifting and bending, and maintain posture. Weakness here often leads to discomfort during activities, especially exercises like crunches that require spinal control.

Quadratus Lumborum (QL)

A deep lower-back muscle that supports side bending, spinal extension, and pelvic stability. When weak or overworked, it can contribute to lower-back discomfort and postural challenges.

The Hip Muscles That Anchor the Core

The Gluteals

Your glutes (minimus, medius, and maximus) drive hip stability and power.

• Gluteus Minimus: Assists in hip extension and stabilizes the pelvis.

• Gluteus Medius: Controls side-to-side pelvic movement. Weakness here often shows up as “standing on one hip,” gait issues, or balance problems.

• Gluteus Maximus: Your major hip extensor and one of the strongest muscles in the body. Long periods of sitting or extra load can weaken it, causing other muscles to overcompensate and creating movement inefficiencies.

Piriformis

One of the deep external hip rotators. It stabilizes the hip joint and assists with rotation. If it becomes tight or overactive, it may irritate the sciatic nerve, leading to piriformis-related discomfort.

Where the IT Band Fits In...

The iliotibial (IT) band isn’t a muscle—it’s a thick band of connective tissue running from your hip to your knee. It’s supported by the gluteus maximus and tensor fasciae latae (TFL).

A few important notes:

• When the glutes are weak, the TFL often works overtime, placing extra tension on the IT band.

• A tight or irritated IT band can contribute to knee discomfort or hip imbalance.

• Strengthening the glutes and improving hip stability is the most effective long-term solution for IT band issues—not simply stretching the band itself.

Final Thoughts

Your back, hips, and IT band play an essential role in core stability. When these areas work well together, your entire body moves more efficiently, with less strain and better balance.

Staying active, developing balanced strength, and paying attention to how these muscles function can make a tremendous difference in how you feel and move every day.