- Physioqinesis
Gluteal Amnesia or Dead butt syndrome
What is Gluteal Amnesia or Dead Butt Syndrome ?

As technology has advanced during the last few decades, sitting time has
increased. Prolonged sitting hours risks an individual to develop lifestyle
related conditions like diabetics, heart related disorders etc, but recently
researchers have found that prolonged sitting can affect the gluteus
medius (one of the three main muscles of the butt). It can stops firing
correctly, more commonly called as Dead butt Syndrome or Gluteal
Amnesia.
Gluteus medius is an important muscle in walking, running and single
leg weight-bearing because it prevents the opposite side of the pelvis
from dropping during walking, running and single leg weight-bearing.
Gluteus medius works to maintain the hip and the trunk stability {1}.
What will you experience?

The Gluteus Medius muscle functions to contract the weight-bearing hip
during running or walking. When this muscle contracts there is an activation
of the hip muscles. When the tendon of gluteus medius muscle becomes
inflamed, the muscle may fail to activate and goes into inhibition.

People having sedentary job work all day in a sitting position, which causes
the hip flexors to become tight.
Poor gluteal and hip muscle control can lead to excess stress on the
GM(Gluteus Medius) tendon. A person may experience pain, stiffness,
numbness in the gluteal region, and sometimes low back pain.
Middle aged,menopausal or premenopausal women are more susceptible due
to a naturally increased angle between the hip and knee, therefore increasing
the load on the tendon and also changes in Estrogen levels which affect
tendon health {2} .
If left untreated, a person may compensate for the pain by adjusting the
mechanics of their stride, placing pressure on other portions of the lower
extremities. This can lead to complications and additional injuries, including
trochanteric bursitis, IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis and calf
injury {3}.
How do you treat it?
It is very important to strengthen up your glute or buttock muscles so that
your hip control improves which may off load the pressure on the GM
tendon. Along with that avoid prolonged sitting break your postures every 40
mins so that your glute muscle doesn’t go into inhibition. {4}.
Your glutes comprised of the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus
minimus .

Glute bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bend, keep your core tight and squeeze
your buttocks, lift your buttocks and lower back region. Hold the position to
challenge the buttock region.
Clamshell exercise

Lie on your side with your knees slightly bent, keeping your legs and ankles
together. Keep your shoulder hip and ankle aligned. You can rest your head
on an outstretched arm during the exercise. Place your other hand on your
hip, and then open and close your knees like a clam by lifting your top knee
up until its parallel with your hip.
All 4s Knee Extension/ Donkey Kicks

Come on your hands and your knees, hands shoulder distance apart and hips
distance apart, keep your core tight bend your knee and lift your thigh
without bending through your lower back region.
Sqauts

Stand tall, with your back straight, feet a little more than hip-width apart and
in a straight line, toes pointing slightly out , shoulders relaxed, and chest
lifted. Look straight, with the arms extended in front of you, and squeeze
your glutes, look straight ahead, keep your back straight, and engage your
core. Push your buttocks out, and start bending your knees. Your weight
should be on your heels and NOT on your toes.
The bottom line when it comes to tackling dead butt syndrome, is to avoid
prolonged sitting puta reminder in your phone after every 40 mins. Make use
of strairs instead of elevator , take a walk while you are on call will get your
gluteals back into function mode.
References:
1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31638962/?from_term=gluteus+medius&fro
m_pos=8 .
2]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28171786/?from_term=gluteus+tendinopath
y+in+menopausal+women+&from_pos=2
3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31638962/?from_term=gluteus+medius&fro
m_pos=8 .
4]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28647545/?from_term=postures+ergonomic
s&from_pos=4