A positive Trendelenburg test or sign can indicate weak hip abductors including your gluteus medius and minimus muscles. On the other hand, a positive Trendelenburg test can also indicate other problems such as arthritis. Therefore, consult your physician prior to starting an exercise program.

You can build strength in your quadriceps without ever having to step foot in a gym or lift any weights. Using your body weight as resistance, you can perform exercises that target the quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings.

Training your legs and abs with gym machines may get you bigger muscles, but machine-based training won't give you the function, strength, balance and athleticism that you need in many sports and daily activities.

There are three planes of motion that scientists use to describe movement of the joints of the body. The three planes are the saggital plane, horizontal or transverse plane and frontal plane. The frontal plane can be visualized by standing with your back to a wall.

Heel raises, or calf raises, work your calf. Your calves provide stability for your knee and ankle joints as well as power when you walk, run, or jump. You must train your calves using a variety of methods, and many types of raises work the different functions of your calf muscle.

The hip abductors and adductors work in opposition to draw your thighs apart and toward each other, respectively. They also serve an important function as hip stabilizers during common movements such as walking and running.

The Lisfranc joint is that piece in the middle of your foot that allows you to bend your foot as you walk.

The iliopsoas muscle (pronounced with the "p" silent) is made of three muscles: the iliacus, psoas major and psoas minor. Together these muscles work to flex the hip, rotate the hip outward, bend the spine laterally, and stabilize the spine.

Having excess weight in the hips is the starting point of a pear-shaped body. This lower body fat is not as detrimental as belly fat, but it still takes its toll on self confidence. The goal is to not allow this fat to build up in the first place.

The flexor digitorum longus is a long, narrow muscle that is found in the lower leg. This muscle plantar flexes and inverts the foot, flexes the toes and helps the foot "grip" the ground. Keeping this muscle strong and conditioned will help exercise-related and overuse injuries of the posterior leg.

Numbness is defined as a decrease or loss of sensation in the skin. Numbness in the hip can be caused by medical conditions such as osteoporosis, sciatica or hip dysplasia. When numbness in the skin is felt for no apparent reason, it is called paresthesia.

Build significant muscle mass in your butt, hips and thighs by incorporating lower-body weight-training exercises into your workout regimen. To build muscle, according to the American Council on Exercise, your workouts should feature primarily compound exercises, which are ones that involve movement at multiple joints.