- 5 exercises to strengthen your buttocks
- 1. Squat
- 2. Scissors
- 3. Shoulder bridge
- 4. Clam
- 5. Leg lifts
- Who can have this syndrome
- How to identify dead butt syndrome
- Health consequences
- Other forms of treatment
- How to avoid this syndrome
The best exercises to cure Dead Butt Syndrome are those that strengthen the middle gluteus, since this is a muscle that is weakened, leading to the appearance of stabbing pain in the hip when running, for example.
Dead butt syndrome is a condition, scientifically called middle gluteal syndrome or in English Dead Butt Syndrome , which happens due to lack of exercise with the buttocks. The glutes are formed by 3 different muscles: the maximum, medium and minimum gluteus. In this syndrome, although the gluteus maximus may be strong, the gluteus medius is much weaker than him, leading to an imbalance of muscle forces. As a result, the person may have an inflammation in the tendon of the gluteus medius that manifests itself through localized pain in the hip when running or having sex, for example.
5 exercises to strengthen your buttocks
This series contains 5 excellent exercises that strengthen the glutes, specifically the middle gluteus. These exercises should be performed in 3 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions at a time, and can be performed 3 to 5 times a week.
1. Squat
Separate your legs at hip width and with your spine erect, crouch, bending your knees until you are 'sitting' in an imaginary chair. Take care that your knees do not exceed the line of your toes. The goal is to feel the work of the glutes and therefore you should not lean your body forward in order to facilitate movement.
2. Scissors
Lie on your back and raise both bent legs until they form a 90ยบ angle. Keep your legs slightly apart and shrink your belly by bringing your navel close to your back. The exercise consists of placing one foot at a time on the floor, and while one foot goes up the other goes down.
3. Shoulder bridge
Lie on your back and keep your legs bent with your knees and feet close together. With your hands you should be able to touch the heel. The exercise consists of raising the trunk off the floor, maintaining the contraction of the buttocks in order to raise the body off the floor as much as possible. When you reach the maximum point, count to 3 and then descend. To make it difficult, one can raise the trunk off the ground each time, stretch one leg towards the ceiling and then return to the starting position.
4. Clam
In this exercise you should lie on your side and place your arm supporting your head, your legs should be bent. The back must be well aligned and the exercise consists of opening the leg that is above, keeping the feet touching. Care must be taken not to let the trunk turn back and even if the leg opening is not very large, what matters is to feel the gluteus being worked.
5. Leg lifts
While lying on your side you should keep your legs well stretched and your body well aligned, where you can look down and see only the tips of your toes. The exercise consists of raising the upper leg to the hip and then raising the lower leg so that they are joined at the hip. Then the two legs should be lowered together.
Who can have this syndrome
Weak gluteal weakness can affect anyone who is sedentary and spends more than 8 hours a day sitting, without exercising. However, this syndrome can also affect people who practice physical activity regularly, such as runners who like to run alone, without professional monitoring and without strengthening other muscle groups.
Thus, it is easier for a runner who exercises on his own to develop this weakness of the middle gluteus than those who practice triathlon, for example, because the variation of the exercises helps in strengthening various muscle groups, being beneficial for the body.
How to identify dead butt syndrome
To identify the weakness of the middle gluteus, the person can stand and support the weight of the body on one leg. When this muscle is weak or inflamed, pain in the hip is common; gluteal pain during palpation and it is common to keep the hip well positioned and good posture in that position. Pain can also manifest when the person lies on his side and raises his straight leg up to the hip or above, when he runs or spends more than 30 minutes sitting.
Health consequences
The weakness of the middle gluteus can result in inflammation of the tendon of this muscle that causes intense pain, such as in the form of a twinge in the hip region when standing many hours, climbing stairs or sitting in a hard chair. As a result, there may still be pain in the lumbar spine that becomes frequent in the knees due to the friction syndrome of the iliotibial band and increases the chances of an ankle sprain during a run.
If these symptoms are present, you should go to the orthopedist to be able to carry out tests that can identify this disease and make sure that it is not about other diseases such as osteomyelitis or bursitis, for example. Normally tests are not necessary and only certain forms of palpation and specific positions, which are orthopedic tests, are sufficient to reach the diagnosis.
Other forms of treatment
When the weakness of the middle gluteus causes intense pain and inability to sit for a long time, the orthopedist may recommend taking anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen and using an ointment such as Cataflan to pass the pain site. However, exercise and physiotherapy are essential to keep muscle groups properly balanced. Deep gluteal massage also helps to heal inflammation and reduce workouts, decreasing your frequency and time is also important to cure this syndrome faster.
How to avoid this syndrome
The best way to avoid dead butt syndrome is to exercise with different muscle groups. This indicates that mainly runners should also strengthen their gluteal and abdominal muscles during their training. These exercises should preferably be guided by a physical education professional, personal trainer or physical therapist who works with Pilates, for example.
