Dead Butt Syndrome… It’s Real And You Probably Have It!

If your job is mainly sedentary and involves your sitting for long periods, you could be at risk for developing what is commonly known as “Dead Butt Syndrome” (DBS).

Though the clinical term for this condition is gluteus medius tendinopathy, medical professionals frequently refer to it as “gluteal amnesia”. This is due to the condition resulting from the gluteal muscles in your buttocks essentially “forgetting” their main purpose: supporting the pelvis and keeping your body in proper alignment.

Whenever you sit for a long time, your buttocks can begin to feel numb or even a little sore. This can usually be quickly resolved by walking and engaging in some mild stretching.

Sometimes, however, the symptoms can be altogether more serious. For example, you may experience pain in one or both hips, your lower back, and knees. This may in the form of pain shooting down your leg, similar to that of sciatica.
In more serious cases, DBS can even result in bursitis, inflammation of your hip bursa. This is a fluid-filled sac that facilitates movement within your hip joint. Other symptoms include pain and swelling around the affected area. This can also cause pain in your lower legs, affecting your balance and creating problems with your gait.

Diagnosing DBS

If you experience symptoms of dead butt syndrome, a sports medicine specialist can examine the areas experiencing pain and stiffness and evaluate your symptoms. They will then provide you with the necessary recommendations that will help you alleviate and eventually eliminate DBS.

Preventing DBS

To help prevent the development of dead butt syndrome, make a conscious effort to break up long periods of sitting all throughout the day. For example, set a timer on your phone every half hour to get up from your desk and go for a short walk. If you have access to the use of stairs, this can be extremely useful in terms of increasing blood flow in your leg muscles and reducing tightness in the necessary areas.

Exercises for DBS

Strengthen and stretching your glutes, hip flexors, and hip joints will help you eliminate DBS and prevent it from affecting you in the future. This can be achieved by regularly performing these simple stretches and exercises.

Hamstring stretches

1. Extend one leg out, and keeping your back straight, bend from your hip joints to bring your chest toward your thigh.
2. The leg that’s not being stretched will also bend at the knee.

Glute Bridge

1. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat, and squeeze your butt.
2. Drive your hips up to the sky, hold the top, and control your way down.
3. Try to isolate and feel your glutes the whole time.

Squats

1. Stand with your hands on the back of your head and your feet shoulder-width apart with your feet turned out slightly to open the hip joint.
2. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
3. Pause, then return to the starting position.

Leg lifts

1. Lie on your back, legs straight and together.
2. Keep your legs straight and lift them all the way up to the ceiling until your butt comes off the floor.
3. Slowly lower your legs back down till they’re just above the floor. Hold for a moment.
4. Raise your legs back up.