If you spend long hours sitting down and not moving around, after a while, it can feel like you’ve lost all lower-body power. Dead butt syndrome, or gluteal amnesia, is a phenomenon that has affected some of the biggest names in athletics. Tiger Woods famously pulled out of a golf tournament because of gluteal amnesia. Here at H&D Physical Therapy, our team can help you address this issue and help you restore strength in this area. 

What is Gluteal Amnesia?

Gluteal amnesia has gained significant attention over the last decade. As the name suggests, this condition results from the gluteal muscles “forgetting” their purpose of keeping your body in proper alignment and supporting the pelvis. After sitting for a long time, your glutes can feel a little sore or numb, but mild stretching tends to bring them back to normal fairly quickly. In more severe instances, the symptoms of gluteal amnesia can cause stiffness and pain elsewhere, including the hips, lower back, and knees. You can even experience symptoms similar to sciatica. Tight hip flexors can also trigger an episode of gluteal amnesia and inflammation of the gluteus medius tendons. 

Treating Gluteal Amnesia

Treatment for gluteal amnesia will depend on its progression and your physical activity goals. If you’re an athlete trying to get back on track, working closely with a physical therapist can help you make a safe return to action. Treatment mainly involves a break in your exercise routine. There are also several exercises to help preserve the flexibility and strength of your glutes. Some of the activities that you may perform in physical therapy include:

Hamstring stretches. 

Squats.

Glute squeezes.

Glute bridges. 

Leg lifts. 

Contact Us

With proper exercise and treatment, you can bring your glutes back to life and keep them that way for a long time. Our team at H&D Physical Therapy can help you find the best prevention exercises to incorporate into your daily routine. To learn more about how we can help with gluteal amnesia, be sure to contact us today!