It’s impossible to ignore something with a name like “dead butt” syndrome. If this topic recently popped up on your TikTok FYP, chances are you wondered how your own butt is doing. Is it alive and well? Or is it... dead?
Turns out dead butt syndrome — also called gluteal amnesia — is a common affliction amongst people who spend most of their day in a seated position. “Those of us ‘driving a desk’ during our work days are at highest risk of this problem, which is when prolonged sitting causes your hips to tighten and your glutes to turn off,” says Dr. Milica McDowell, DBT, a physical therapist, certified exercise physiologist, and VP of operations at Gait Happens.
The longer you sit, the more likely it is for your butt to check out. “If you don't use your glutes throughout the day — by walking, standing, stair climbing, etc. — they tend to forget what their job is, leading to dead butt syndrome,” she tells Bustle.
Signs of weaks buns include numbness, pain, muscle fatigue, and poor posture, among others.
The good news is there are plenty of ways to prevent this from happening to you. It’s also helpful to know that your cheeks aren’t actually “dead.” According to Devin Trachman, PT, DPT, MTC, a clinical direction and physical therapist at Physical Therapy Central, dead butt syndrome just means your behind is significantly weak and under-conditioned.
If that sounds familiar, here’s what you need to know about dead butt syndrome, including how to wake yours back up.
How To Know If You Have Dead Butt Syndrome
You might have a case of dead butt syndrome if your booty is numb, your cheeks are in pain, if you feel tight, stiff, or creaky when you stand up from your desk, or if it’s tough to contract or squeeze the muscles.
According to McDowell, back pain and poor posture are other sure signs. “The glutes' major job is extending your hips and helping to keep your low back posture upright,” she says. “When this muscle group temporarily goes on vacation the rest of your body is going to feel it.”
This glute muscle weakness could also play a role in the lower back pain, hip pain, or tight hip flexors you’ve been experiencing. “When your glutes aren't doing their job, you tend to compensate and ask other muscles to pitch in,” says McDowell. “That can cause soreness and muscle imbalances if it goes on for a long period of time.”
According to Trachman, dead butt syndrome can also impact how you feel during a workout. “Because you’re not able to properly engage these muscles necessary for movements — like squats and transitions from sitting to standing — you begin to develop compensation patterns [from doing the workouts wrong].”
That in turn places increased stress on other muscles and joints in your body, she tells Bustle, and that can lead to soreness and strains.
What Causes It?
Sitting more than you stand or walk is the primary culprit of dead butt syndrome, says McDowell. Think sitting all day for work, sitting while you commute, and then sitting more at home. And it only gets worse if you skip training your glute muscles during a workout.
“Remember, muscles want to be used and if you don't train them they tend to atrophy, or get smaller, and then don't fire as well,” she says. “This is really an area of the body where if you don't use it you'll lose it! So train that booty!”
Having bad posture can also play a role. “[Slouching] places additional stress on the hips and pelvis, creating muscle imbalances with hip flexor dominance and decreased glute activation,” says Trachman. It can become a vicious cycle where poor posture leads to dead butt syndrome, and then dead butt syndrome makes your posture worse.
How To Bring Your Booty Back To Life
Dead butt syndrome may be a pain in the, um, butt, but it’s also something you can easily fix. According to Trachman, you should be able to wake up your booty in about three to four weeks if you add regular stretching and exercise into your routine. Here are a few recommendations from the pros.
1. Get Up Often At Work
To prevent dead butt syndrome from happening in the first place, Trachman recommends standing up as often as you can throughout your work day — at least once every hour — and moving around. Go on a walk outside, take the stairs, or do a few laps around the office. This habit will also help reverse dead butt syndrome that’s already set in.
2. Stretch It Out
Stretch on a consistent basis with a focus on your glutes, hip flexors, and hamstrings, all of which are predisposed to getting tired and stiff during periods of prolonged sitting, says Tachman. Try a yogic pigeon pose, the bendy 90-90 stretch, and a downward facing dog.
3. Do Rounds Of Clamshells
Strengthening your bum is also crucial, especially if you tend to forget about the ol’ derrière while at the gym. Trachman suggests starting with a round of clamshells to work your hips and butt. This move involves lying on your side, bending your knees, and opening and closing your top leg.
Keep your feet firmly together as you slowly open your knee, kind of like a clam. Pause at the top, then slowly lower your knee back down again. Repeat two to three sets of 10 reps on each side a few times a week.
4. Try Glute Bridges
The glute bridge is another good go-to when you need to wake up your butt. Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet planted on the floor hip-width apart. Engage your abs and glutes as you lift your hips up off the floor, creating a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Hold at the top, slowly lower your hips back to the floor, and repeat. Do three sets of 10 reps a few times a week.
5. Add In Lunges
This one goes without saying, but McDowell also recommends rounds of lunges and squats. These tried and true glute burners will work wonders when it comes to keeping your booty strong. Do them on the regular, and the rest of your body will thank you.
Studies referenced:
Buckthorpe, M. (2019). ASSESSING AND TREATING GLUTEUS MAXIMUS WEAKNESS - A CLINICAL COMMENTARY. Int J Sports Phys Ther. PMID: 31440415; PMCID: PMC6670060.
Sources:
Dr. Milica McDowell, DBT, [hysical therapist, certified exercise physiologist, VP of operations at Gait Happens
Devin Trachman, PT, DPT, MTC, clinical direction, physical therapist at Physical Therapy Central
