Do You Have Dead Butt Syndrome?

If you sit at a desk all day, this one’s for you. “Dead butt syndrome,” also called gluteal amnesia or the clinical term gluteus medius tendinopathy, can happen when your butt muscles become weak from sitting or slumping and “forget” how to keep the body in alignment and supporting the pelvis. Taking a lap around the office or stretching periodically can help prevent dead butt syndrome, which could lead to serious nerve problems down the line.

The gluteus minimus, maximus and medius are the three muscles that make up the butt. The main function of these muscles is to help stabilize the spine and trunk to support the body. But with gluteal amnesia, they forget their jobs. If you spend a lot of time sitting and these butt muscles aren’t engaged, they can become weak and deconditioned over time. It’s a true case of “use it or you’ll lose it.”

Symptoms can be as simple as a feeling of numbness or soreness after sitting for long periods of time, but can be more serious with pain in one of both of your hips, lower back and knees, potentially traveling down the leg. If left untreated, dead butt syndrome can lead to problems with the hip burse, which is a fluid-filled sac that eases movement within the joint. Bursitis (inflammation of the burse) can cause severe pain and swelling of the hips and affected areas. Pain in the hips and lower legs can trigger balance and gait (walking) problems that can be permanent.

An orthopedist or sports medicine physician can diagnose and treat this syndrome. An evaluation of your movement, as well as an X-ray or MRI might be ordered to rule out other conditions. Treatment plans will vary depending on the extent of the symptoms and activity levels. Physical therapy that includes flexibility and strengthening exercises works well and can be performed at home.

A sedentary lifestyle with not enough movement can cause stiffness, weakness and in more serious cases, pain. With proper treatment and regular exercise, dead butt syndrome doesn’t have to be debilitating. Make time in your daily schedule to stand and move every hour. Stretch at your desk and walk when possible. Find ways to keep moving, keeping the glutes in check. Experts suggest specific stretching exercises or techniques to keep the muscles engaged, like squats, leg lifts, glute squeezes and hamstring stretches.