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Spending hours seated daily harms your overall health, particularly your glutes. id-work/Getty Images/MytourRecent studies reveal that prolonged desk work, combined with endless hours lounging on the couch watching shows like 'The Great British Baking Show,' is taking a toll on our health. Surprisingly, the first casualty is often our glutes.
Commonly referred to as dead butt syndrome (officially known as gluteal tendinopathy), this condition impacts the gluteus medius and minimus. These smaller muscles, unlike the larger gluteus maximus, are crucial for stability. The gluteus medius connects to the pelvis and femur, while the gluteus minimus links to the pelvis and femur's head. Together with the gluteus maximus, they form the buttocks. Weakness in these muscles forces surrounding hip muscles, like the hip flexors, to compensate, leading to strain and discomfort.
The Butts Most Likely to Die
A 2015 study in Sports Med revealed that women are two to four times more prone to gluteal tendinopathy. Another study from the same year in Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy highlighted that while few risk factors are scientifically confirmed, being female and over 40 are significant contributors.
Distance runners of any gender with desk jobs are also at high risk for dead butt syndrome. Their sedentary work habits, combined with a running routine that primarily engages the quadriceps, leave their glutes underutilized during those weekend long runs.
If you think your glutes might be affected, you may experience hip pain in specific positions, such as:
- Sitting with legs crossed at the knees, one foot dangling
- Sitting with knees together but feet apart on the floor
- Standing with one hip jutting to the side
- Standing with one ankle crossed in front of the other
- Lying on your side with your knees bent
Bring Your Butt Back to Life
The good news is that your glutes can be revived! Incorporating a few key glute exercises into your routine can breathe life back into your backside. Even without a formal diagnosis, performing these exercises while binge-watching baking shows can counteract the effects of prolonged sitting.
- Deadlifts
- Clam shell exercise
- Lateral band walks
- Bridges (hip lifts)
- IT band stretches
- Piriformis (that's another butt muscle) stretches
Many people found relief through these exercises, though results may take time. In severe cases, additional treatments like corticosteroid injections or shockwave therapy might be necessary.
Engaging in specific exercises, such as bridges (or hip lifts), can alleviate the discomfort associated with dead butt syndrome.
SrdjanPav/Getty ImagesCurious if your glutes are inactive? Stand in front of a mirror and raise one leg! If your hip on the same side as the raised foot drops, it indicates weakness in the opposite gluteus medius. Wearing a belt or contrasting pants can make the dip more noticeable.
