Are You at Risk for Dead Butt Syndrome? Simple Solutions

You may have experienced a condition known as "dead butt syndrome" if you spend a lot of time sitting down without getting up to stand, walk, or otherwise move around. 

Although gluteus medius tendinopathy is the medical name for this ailment, it's also frequently called gluteal amnesia. 

The disease is caused by the gluteal muscles "forgetting" their primary function, which is to support the pelvis and maintain normal alignment in your body, as implied by the ailment's popular name. 

You can avoid or treat dead butt syndrome by moving more and sitting less, but you should be aware that this strange-sounding ailment might result in additional issues if you don't take it seriously. 

What Is Dead Butt Syndrome?

Sitting too much, whether at work or at home, increases your chance of developing various health conditions, including depression, bad eating habits, and cardiovascular disease. 

Dead butt syndrome is a similar problem that may be dangerous despite its ridiculous name. 

Technically referred to as "gluteal amnesia," the disorder occurs when a person's back muscles lose the memory of how to perform their functions, which include supporting the pelvis and influencing how the body is aligned, as a result of inactivity. 

Kristen Schuyten, D.P.T., a physical therapy clinical specialist at Michigan Medicine, said that our bodies aren't built to stay sitting for lengthy periods of time. Therefore, if you spend hours a day on your butt, problems will arise.

5 Things to Know About Dead Butt Syndrome

It Denotes a Struggle Within Your Body

A sedentary lifestyle over time can tighten your hip flexors and stretch your gluteal muscles, which results in ineffective muscular activation. Both muscles must contract and relax in opposite directions. Still, Schuyten claims that when the range of motion is limited, that related function is jeopardized. In order to make up for it, other muscles must work harder. 

Your Butt Is not "Dead" Because of This

Its name serves as a metaphor. You still have muscles. More specifically, "They're not activating effectively." Such "death" or deconditioning happens faster than it would take to undo the damage. Exercise and mobility can save a dying butt for almost twice as long as it takes to cause the disease in the first place.

Other Symptoms Might Appear

Some sufferers of dead butt syndrome experience discomfort in locations other than the identified location. This is so because, in a physical sense, "everything is related," according to Schuyten. Back discomfort might be brought on by tight hip flexors. Balance problems, knee and foot discomfort, and weak glutes are all possible effects. 

Even Physically Fit People Can Be Affected

According to Schuyten, frequent exercisers may still be in danger. She sees energetic people like ballet dancers in her capacity as the performing arts rehabilitation coordinator. When performing these high-level tasks, she claims that "they're not always stimulating the proper muscles." Squats and leg lifts can be beneficial to include in your dead butt syndrome exercise routine, but it's also essential to do them correctly.

It Is Preventable

Get up and move about or climb and descend stairs every hour, advises Schuyten. People who spend their days sitting at a desk or in a car should regularly stretch their hamstrings and glutes while seated. These straightforward actions aid in lengthening constrictive regions, stimulating blood flow to warm the tissues, and reawakening a "dead butt." 

Health Risks of Dead Butt Syndrome

Dead butt syndrome has some unmistakable symptoms. They include an anterior pelvic tilt, which you can detect by looking at yourself sideways in the mirror and noting that your belt buckle should be pointing straight ahead rather than down at the ground, as well as unusual cramping or pain in your hamstrings while working out. Strong abdominals, tight hip flexors, and lousy posture contribute to this ailment. 

Fishel advises doing a pelvic bridge on the ground to check for dead butt syndrome. Lie on the floor face up with your feet flat and your knees bent. Raise your hips until they are level with your knees from this posture. You likely have gluteal amnesia if your hamstrings or lower back are tense.

Dead Butt Syndrome Symptoms

The gluteal muscles in your buttocks may feel numb or perhaps a bit uncomfortable after spending a lot of time sitting still. However, a short stroll and some light stretching will soon revive them. 

The dead butt syndrome symptoms might result in discomfort and stiffness elsewhere in more difficult situations. Your lower back, knees, and one or both hips might hurt. Similar to how sciatica stretches, pain may shoot down the leg. 

If DBS is not treated, you may also have a decrease in gluteal and hip flexor strength. Simply laying on the afflicted side may cause pain if only one hip is impacted. 

The hip bursa, a fluid-filled sac that facilitates mobility within the hip joint, may become inflamed due to DBS. DBS symptoms can also cause balance and gait issues, leading to pain in your lower legs. 

You could alter your posture to relieve hip and back discomfort while walking or running. However, this could put your knees, ankles, and feet under stress that they aren't accustomed to, leading to stiffness that radiates beyond your butt. 

How to Avoid Dead Butt Syndrome

The simple solution is to maintain strong glutes. Take numerous breaks from your chair during the day to move about or stretch at your desk to achieve this. Set hourly phone reminders to prevent forgetting about doing exercises while standing at your desk.

Don't forget to work your rear while you work out. Lying-down leg lifts are a helpful exercise to incorporate into your regimen in addition to squats and bridges. Once you begin on your left side, elevate your right leg with the big toe pointed toward the floor. You will feel the effects of this angle within 10 to 15 leg lifts since it isolates the gluteus medius and minimus muscles the most. Ankle weights or a band can be added for more resistance. 

Above all, changing your routine is the greatest prevention method for DBS. Spend some of the day sitting on an exercise ball and do some exercises for your legs while sitting. Moreover, spend some time working while standing on a countertop. Leg raises while watching television. Mix things up and avoid falling into a routine at all costs.

Important Role of Ergonomic Office Furniture to Avoid Dead Butt Syndrome

The study of ergonomics involves setting up a workstation to make working there healthier, safer, and more productive. It is frequently utilized to improve conventional workplace settings and make them less taxing on the body physically. Moving your keyboard closer to your desk will assist minimize shoulder overuse while altering the height of your chair will help prevent back problems. Simply described, ergonomics is the study of making things fit people. It is regarded as a successful preventative and therapeutic strategy for many musculoskeletal conditions. 

If you have sciatica from spending too much time sitting down, you might be less motivated to stick to a strict workout regimen because of the incapacitating discomfort. Fundamentally, ergonomics seeks to support the back, neck, spine, and hips for improved overall physical health. 

It's difficult to imagine that tiny changes to your workstation might significantly influence your health because they seem like such a small effort. The reality is that spending all day in an uncomfortable setting might have adverse long-term effects on your musculoskeletal health. Poor posture is typically the only issue here, which is a result of your workstation.

By setting up an ergonomic workstation, you may avoid getting into undesirable sitting positions and establishing terrible posture, which can lower your risk of acquiring the following back and spine diseases. 

Disk Herniation

According to studies, prolonged sitting is a significant risk factor for developing disk herniation. Sitting all day puts unnecessary tension on the back and spine, which can permanently change these tissues. The elastic disks that serve as cushions between the vertebrae start to bulge or rupture in the event of a herniated disk, resulting in excruciating pain, numbness, and weakness. 

Sciatica

Another back ailment resulting from a sedentary lifestyle is sciatica, particularly when combined with poor workstation ergonomics. This ailment develops when the sciatic nerve is compressed, radiating pain down the legs and lower back. Herniated disks are frequently followed by sciatica because the disk movement can irritate or impinge on the sciatic nerve.

Muscle Strains

We frequently associate muscle strains with sports-related accidents during physically demanding activities. Still, they can occur even when you're at rest. In fact, how you sit can overstretch the ligaments in your spine and damage your lower back. This is particularly typical with slouchers. Sedentary lifestyles also have a secondary impact on the muscles because they cause atrophy and weakening, increasing the risk of injury. 

Overuse

We almost always consider how the objects we use daily, such as the phone, keyboard, computer monitor, or mouse, force us to move. However, if you have to extend your arm several times each day to reach the mouse or phone, you risk overusing your arms or shoulders.

Poor Posture

A poorly constructed workstation can significantly negatively impact your posture, which can lead to long-term issues. Misaligned knees and the spine can result from poor posture and other problems, including a stomachache, headaches, back discomfort, and muscular tiredness. 

Chronic Back Pain

This is any discomfort that persists for 12 weeks or more despite medical intervention or medicines. Due to an underlying musculoskeletal condition exacerbated by extended periods of sitting, many people who lead sedentary lifestyles and work in unergonomic environments develop persistent nonspecific back pain.

Designing an Ergonomic Workspace

1. Start with an Ergonomic Chair

The first ergonomics step is to get a nice ergonomic office chair. Your chair is the starting point for back, neck, and spine support, as it maintains spinal alignment and positions your arms at the ideal angle for writing or typing. A comfortable chair will also aid in preventing "dead butt syndrome," or gluteal amnesia, which happens when the glutes lose their memory of how to perform their function. The incorrect chair might cause the glutes to overcompensate and tense up the hip flexors, resulting in gluteal amnesia. You can also add a cooling pad for chairs or an office chair memory foam cushion to increase the effectiveness of your chair. 

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2. Master Proper Positioning

Even if you purchase the most cutting-edge, ergonomic office equipment available, it will only be helpful if you take the time to configure your workstation according to your particular body. Because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to creating an ergonomic workstation, it is crucial to invest in movable furniture that you can customize to your unique anthropometrics. 

3. Use a Standing Desk

Consider using an adjustable height desk to promote greater mobility and blood flow throughout the day. Remember that standing all day can also harm your health, putting stress on your knees and hips, so by getting one of these, you will enjoy all the standing desk health benefits. In order to avoid placing unnecessary pressure on the musculoskeletal system throughout the body, alternate between sitting and standing. You could also purchase desk exercise equipment.

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4. Practice Active Sitting

Think about active sitting. This practice of moving while sitting is often referred to as "active sitting." Continuous exercise may help improve blood flow, burn calories, and strengthen the core. Additionally, it may lubricate the joints, minimizing back, hip, and knee discomfort. You may sit more actively by changing your position frequently or using a stability ball while working. 

5. Try Laser Treatment

Utilize laser treatment to lessen discomfort. After a hard day at work, you may relieve any residual lower back pain by using one of our laser light treatment belts for back pain. These belts employ cutting-edge laser technology to enhance blood flow and relax muscles, which can provide momentary relief from pain, inflammation, and muscular spasms. 

Bottom Line

Now that you know everything you need to prevent dead butt syndrome, you must take your health into your own hands. If there is anything you can do to prevent this illness, please make sure to do it and avoid further complications. 

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