Glute muscles not firiing, anyone?

I know what you mean. I dont have the same leg issues as you (my knees hurt bec of weak glutes) but my PT gave me links to glute exs on this website and they are really good:

http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/movements/glute-activation-half-kneeling.html

That's just one exercise, you can search for lots of others. Some of the strengthening Exs for soccer players are useful.

Its probably a chronic weakness that developed over time.  Do the strengthening.  See a PT if you can.  ART etc are all well and good but if you do not correct the imbalances wit some strengthening you will continue to have problems

Had this issue for sometime. I only found out about it when having a casual conversation with a PT while I was being treated for a back problem. She did a simple test and sure enough my R) glutes were not firing. All the work being done by the R)hamstrings leading to lots of issues......

I had developed a R) knee Patellar Tendonopathy 18 months ago that was not resolving with regular treatment. Until this diagnosis I was treating the symptoms (Patellar Tendonopathy) not the underlying cause - the misfiring glutes. I then  went for an opinion from a sports docs and then went to Pilates to strengthen the core and get the kinetic chain working in synch again ( incl. the troublesome butt muscles!). Not mat pilates mind you, but a  full 'reformer' pilates with the instructors being trained PT's  with a max instructor:student ratio of 1:4.

The results have been amazing - been going 2x per week for 8weeks and I am back to competing in tris for the first time in 5 years and able to run longer and stronger with less effort in more time than I can remember.

Interesting that you mention the ITB going nuts. As part of the Pilates session I roll the ITB (ouch!) each time and I think this improved flexibility has helped too.

Glad your feeling better, your story is encouraging for me - I desperately want to compete again. ...a lot of my imbalance is cause by a "twisted" spine...working a strengthening the entire posterior chain - began with the "foundation" stuff yesterday.   My whole back side was shaking!

Got to love the foam roller!

Just came to the forum to check out the occurance of weak glutes with ITBS and patellarfemoral syndrome.

Finally saw a sports medicine doc and physical therapist in the same session and they found my right glute fires quite a bit more slowly that my left glute. I also have to concentrate very hard to flex the muscle. This is causing my hamstring to do all the work, creating IT pain. The weak glute also is allowing my femor to rotate inward thus doing a chain reaction of sorts all the way down to my foot, creating a slight pigeon toeness when I run.

No running for a month (can't do more than a 1/2 mile anyways, so no biggie), and I have a slew of exercises to do, as well as trying to flex my butt every time my right foot strikes the ground while walking. My glutes are getting tired!

The pure definition of 'lazy a__'. I'm going to have to look at pilates instructors that may help with this, as it sounds like an encouraging option. Right now I do glute bridges and a few other complicated movements.

I found that pilates was great for building strenght and flexibility in my legs.  Also Shiatsu massage therapy is great.  Better results than with chiropractor.  Check out shiatsu on line for more info and find a shiatsu massage therapist that has extensively studied the art through Eastern medicine