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.
Squats
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 stairs instead of elevator , take a walk while you are on call will get your gluteal back into function mode.
References:
2]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28171786/?from_term=gluteus+tendinopathy+in+menopausal+women+&from_pos=2
4]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28647545/?from_term=postures+ergonomic
s&from_pos=4