Sitting Can Cause ‘Dead Butt Syndrome’ – 10/13/2024 – Balance

After a long day at work or hours in the car, it’s normal to feel a little stiff. It could just be that your hip and lower back muscles are tight. But perhaps a potentially debilitating condition called gluteal amnesia, or dead butt syndrome.

“The name sounds silly, but the side effects are serious,” explains Jane Conidis, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic (USA). “The gluteus maximus is one of the strongest muscles in the body and the greatest shock absorber,” he says. “If it doesn’t work properly, it can cause a domino chain of problems, from hamstring tears and sciatica to shin splints and arthritis in the knees.”

Gluteal amnesia occurs when your glutes become so weak from inactivity that they seem to forget how to work, meaning they fail or become sluggish in activity. This is different from a leg or arm “sleeping” due to nerve compression, for example. Some people may have pain when sitting, but most patients do not feel pain until they go running or walking.

Sluggish glutes can affect other muscles and joints, especially in the lower back and knees, Konidis says. The pain can particularly affect runners and athletes, such as golfers and tennis players. (Tiger Woods had to withdraw from the competition due to this condition.)

Just like strengthening your core, learning how to activate your glutes can prevent this condition. But this doesn’t come naturally to most people, even those with strong butts. For anyone who spends hours sitting, it’s important to learn how to recognize when your glutes are broken down and how to get them working again.

The glutes are actually three muscles located on the outside and back of the hips that stabilize the hip, raise the leg, and rotate the thigh. They work together as the foundation of the spine, keeping the pelvis and heart stable, Conidis explains.

“If our glutes were really dead, we wouldn’t be able to stand,” the doctor says.

When taking a step, you must activate your glutes first. But when we sit, the muscles in the front of the hip and thigh allow them to rest. Repeating eight-hour workdays can cause a delay in the neurons that signal this activation, says Chris Kulpa, a physical therapist at The Ohio State University Medical Center.

Over time, this cycle can cause the buttocks to weaken, which is associated with lower back and knee pain, especially in active people.

When your biceps or quadriceps are activated, you can see them swell. However, with the glutes, like the core, it’s harder to spot, Konidis says. It’s common to think your glutes are strong because they can do 25 squats, but your quads and lower back may be doing all the work.

Kulba states that anyone who habitually sits for more than two to three hours at a time probably suffers from some degree of gluteal amnesia.

The simplest test is to stand on one leg, letting the other dangle. You will feel the glutes on the swinging side soft. After the procedure, it is necessary to put weight on this leg and press firmly on the butt area. Ideally, the muscles should be firm. If your glutes are weak, you may need to squeeze a few times before you feel them fire up, Konidis explains.

Another test is the gluteal bridge, in which the patient lies on his back and raises his hips into the air. When they do not touch the floor, it is necessary to tighten the gluteal region and do five to ten repetitions. The area is expected to burn slightly. If you feel extreme tension in your hamstrings (the calf muscles located just below your butt), that’s a sign that your glutes are under-activated, Kolba explains.

For most healthy people, the buttocks should activate on their own when you move. Setting an alarm to wake up every 30 to 50 minutes and gently tapping your buttocks with your fingertips can serve as a motivator, according to Konidis. “It makes the brain remember that those muscles are there,” he adds.

It’s also recommended to walk in place or do some hip circles or squats, making sure to squeeze your buttocks with each repetition.

Simple exercises can help activate reluctant buttocks. This is especially important before exercising or exercising, explains Jordan Metzl, MD, a sports medicine physician at New York Hospital for Special Surgery and author of Running Strong.“.

Exercises like clamshells, hip thrusts, side planks, split squats, and single-leg butt bridges require no equipment and can be done at home. Choose two or three exercises on alternating days and do them slowly and controlled until you feel a slight burn in your glutes.

If you walk or run regularly, don’t assume your glutes are strong. Include exercises like squats or lunges at least a few times a week, says Metzl.

If you’re constantly working your glutes but your butt never feels tired and feels sore when you do activities like running, seek help from a sports medicine doctor or physical therapist, Konidis says.

“When one link in the chain weakens, the entire fence collapses,” he says. “And your buttocks should be your strongest link.”