By sitting at your desk for hours every day, you risk suffering from “dead butt syndrome”. Also called gluteal amnesia. It’s the legacy of a sedentary life, with your butt screwed to an office chair. Experts call it dead butt syndrome, or gluteal amnesia. It concerns the gluteal muscles, made up of the gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus.
What is the function of the gluteal muscles?
They are involved in the majority of movementsmovements of the body. “ They absorb shock when you take a step or when you walk or run. They are also responsible for controlling your pelvis and certain movements of your of theof theso they work all the time, especially when you are standing or doing seated activities », explains to the Irish media RTE Dr Kenneth Monaghan, musculoskeletal physiotherapist. The gluteal muscles stabilize the hips, allow leg movement, form a base for the spine and stabilize the pelvis and trunk.
When does dead butt syndrome occur?
« If the glutes were really dead, we wouldn’t be able to stand », summarizes for the New York Times Jane Konidis, medical specialist physiquephysique and rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic (Cleveland, USA). But constant sitting eventually weakens the gluteal muscles. Not sufficiently solicited, they “forget” their roles and how to fulfill them or are slower to take action. “ We’re not talking about sitting around for a single day for a few hours; we’re talking about people who sit constantly at desks in front of computer screens for days, weeks and months over the course of their lives », ajoute Kenneth Monaghan.
What are the consequences of this buttock amnesia?
At first, we don’t realize it because the other muscles compensate. But this ends up causing pain in the lower back, in the hips and knees in particular, even in people who are active and yet too sedentary. In addition to pain, gluteal muscle dysfunction can lead to injuries, such as tears in the gluteal muscles. hamstringshamstringsa sciaticasciaticaof thearthritisarthritis at the knees or disc problems. “ Muscle weakness can also compress, pull, or pinch the nervesnervesleading to the numbness associated with dead butt syndrome », note le Dr Andrew Bang, chiropractorchiropractorwith the Cleveland Clinic.
Are you affected by gluteal amnesia?
Sometimes difficult to perceive, different techniques can help you know if you suffer from gluteal amnesia. Support yourself on one leg then transfer the weight to the leg that was inactive, you should feel a firming of the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus. If you don’t feel it or if you have to repeat the movement several times before you feel it, you probably have it.
Another technique: lying on your back, lift your hips off the ground by using your gluteal muscles; if you do not feel a slight burning in the buttocks, but in the hamstrings, it is because the former are not activated and the latter do all the work.
So that your butt regains its memory
To help your glutes regain their memory, you can perform several exercises, recommended by Dr. Andrew Bang:
- Lying on your left side, lift your right leg 15 to 20 times, big toebig toe pointed towards the ground. Repeat, this time lying on your right side.
- Lying on your left side, both knees bent, feet touching each other, lift your right knee toward the ceiling, 30 to 40 times. Do the same thing on the right side.
Side planks, glute bridges and split squats can also wake up your gluteal muscles. And to prevent the problem, stay up as long as possible during the day, during a telephone conversation for example or while thinking. You can also opt for a desk that allows you to alternate between sitting/standing postures or swap your chair for a Swiss ball. Note that even a good ergonomic chair will not protect you from dead butt syndrome.
Related News :