Have lower back pain, hip discomfort and numbness in the rear end? It might be dead butt syndrome.
Officially named gluteal amnesia, dead butt syndrome happens when people spends too much time sitting in chairs, couches or cars. It can even happen to fairly active people who just aren't exercising their glutes enough.
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"The name sounds silly, but the side effects are serious," Dr. Jane Konidis, a Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, told the New York Times last fall. "The gluteus maximus is one of the strongest muscles in the body and biggest shock absorbers. If it's not working properly, it can cause a domino chain of issues, from hamstring tears and sciatica to shin splints and arthritis in the knees."
When the butt muscles stop working the way they should – specifically the gluteus medius, which helps stabilize the pelvis – the body tries to adjust to the imbalance this creates. This can lead to lower back and hip pain, and sometimes knee and ankle pain.
"Our bodies aren't designed to be seated for long periods of time," Kristen Schuyten, a physical therapy clinical specialist at Michigan Medicine, said in a 2017 article published by the health system. "So if you're on your butt for hours a day, it's going to lead to issues."
The good news is, a dead butt can be revived. The first step is literally to get moving.
"Every hour, get up and walk around or go up and down a flight of stairs," Schuyten said.
The really dedicated can follow a plan established by Alan Hedge, an emeritus professor at Cornell University who researched workplace ergonomics. He advised that people sit for 20 minutes, stand for 8 minutes and move around for 2 minutes to get their blood flowing.
Another suggestion, from Duke University ergonomics specialist Marissa Pentico, is to choose either a big cup or a little cup for hydrating while sitting at a desk.
"It means if you've got a big cup you want to fill it up with water so that you frequently go to the bathroom," Pentico said. "Or if you've got a little cup, you need to frequently get up to fill it."
Also important is targeting the butt with specific exercises, such as bridges, planks and squats. Here are five exercises to help prevent dead butt syndrome, but consult a health care professional before trying them.
Chair step-up: Walk up to a chair and stop about 2 feet from it. Looking straight ahead, step up onto the chair, leading with your right foot. Come back down and repeat the step up by leading with your left foot. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Grasshopper: Lie on your stomach, bend your knees and bring your feet together with some separation between the knees. Squeeze your glutes to lift your legs very slightly. Lower and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Clamshell: Lie on your side and stack your hips and knees on top of each other, bending your knees toward your chest. Keep your feet together and lift your top knee as high as comfortable without rotating your lower back. Hold, relax and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Side-lying leg lifts: Lie on your side with your legs straight out and stacked on top of each other. Lift your top leg until it is at a nearly 45-degree angle from your bottom leg. Slowly lower and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.Then, switch sides and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Glute bridge: Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Your knees should be hip distance apart. Raise your hips by squeezing your glutes, creating a straight line from your neck to your knees. Hold for 5 seconds. Slowly lower down. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.