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Clinical names for dead butt syndrome -

Dead butt syndrome (DBS) is also known clinically as gluteus medius tendinopathy. Usually, though, you're more likely to hear it called gluteal amnesia. 

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What is DBS? -

As is indicated by its common name, DBS happens when gluteal muscles "forget" their main purpose of supporting the pelvis and ultimately keeping your body in proper alignment.

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Symptoms of DBS -

If you sit for a long time then the glutes or gluteal muscles in your buttocks might start to feel numb or even a bit sore. Some walking or mild stretching can usually bring them back to working order quite quickly.

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More serious cases -

If the DBS gets more serious, you can experience symptoms like pain and stiffness in other areas of your body such as your hips, lower back, and even knees.

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What else can occur? -

If you ignore the DBS, then you can lose strength in your glutes and hip flexors.

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Inflammation -

Dead butt syndrome can lead to an inflammation of the hip bursa, which is a "fluid-filled sac that eases movement within the hip joint."

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Causes of DBS -

A sedentary lifestyle, or a life where you sit or lay too much, can cause the glute muscles to lengthen and the hip flexors to tighten.

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What are hip flexors? -

Hip flexors are the muscles running from your lower back up through your pelvis and across the front thigh. These muscles are responsible for the actual movement of your legs when you walk, run, or climb stairs.

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What happens if hip flexors aren’t stretched? -

If you don't stretch your hip flexors, it can trigger dead butt syndrome when you go to take a brisk walk. As your hip flexors tighten and your gluteal muscles lengthen, inflammation can occur in the gluteal medius tendons.

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What is the gluteal medius? -

The gluteal medius is a smaller muscle in the buttocks and the tendons supporting it are vulnerable to injury.

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Who is at risk for DBS? -

Surprisingly, people who run a lot are actually at a higher risk of DBS. If these individuals spend too much time at a desk and not running, for example, then DBS can occur.

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Why runners? -

Runners are at a higher risk of DBS because running (or other intense exercise) places repetitive strain on the glutes and associated tendons. If these muscles are not properly conditioned due to prolonged inactivity such as sitting at a desk for hours, then they may not handle the stress of running well.

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Diagnosing DBS -

It's important to see a doctor if you're experiencing symptoms of DBS. Your best options would likely be a sports medicine specialist or orthopedist.

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What will the doctor do? -

When you see a doctor or medical specialist for DBS, they will likely review your symptoms and medical history. You may be asked to stretch in different positions and share any associated pain or change in symptoms.

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Treating DBS -

DBS and its treatment will depend on how far it has progressed with your physical activity goals.

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Treatment for most people -

For most individuals, runners, and other athletes, the go-to treatment involves following the RICE protocol. R: rest, I: ice, C: compressions, E: elevation.

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Serious cases -

If you have a serious case of DBS, it might be necessary for you to go to physical and massage therapy to help with your flexibility and strengthening of the muscles.

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Tendon and muscle injury -

If a serious tendon or muscle injury occurs then you might need platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy or a similar treatment. PRP treatments inject you with a concentration of your own platelets at the site of your injury and are meant to help speed up healing.

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Can I take medicine to help with the pain? -

You should always see a medical professional or doctor before starting any medications. However, taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) or an NSAID such as aspirin on ibuprofen can usually improve DBS symptoms.

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Preventing DBS -

A simple yet productive way to prevent DBS is to break up long periods of sitting with a short walk. If you have stairs available, it's particularly impactful to go up and down them a few times.

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Exercises for DBS: hamstring stretch -

This exercise can be done with slight variations, but in general, you should have one leg bent and the other straight. You'll then lean forward until you feel a slight pull on your hamstring and hold that pose for about 30 seconds, then release.

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Glute squeeze -

For the glute squeeze, you'll want to stand with your feet about hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Then you will pull the abdominal muscles in and hold your shoulders back while you squeeze the glutes. Do this squeeze for about three seconds, then relax for one second and repeat.

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Squats -

Place your feet shoulder-width apart and tighten your core muscles. Then you'll bend your knees slowly so your thighs are near or parallel to the ground. Following this, return to a standing position and repeat.

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Leg lift -

For a leg lift, lie down, and while keeping your legs straight and together, lift them upwards until a point when you feel the muscles flexing. Then slowly lower them to slightly above the ground and repeat.

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Glute bridge -

With a glute bridge, you should first lie on your back and bend your knees, keeping them together and your feet flat on the floor. Then you'll lift your hips toward the ceiling and slowly lower them back down, then repeat. 

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Outlook for DBS -

The outlook for dead butt syndrome is good, as long as you manage it with proper treatment and exercise.

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Time throughout the day -

You can further help by moving throughout the day as well as adding some DBS-preventing exercises into your routine.

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Important tip -

It's important to remember that if you don't properly manage your glutes and hip flexors, then you may feel symptoms begin to return. 

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Final note -

If you are a serious runner, you may want to speak with a sports medicine specialist about some functional movement screening (FMS). This analyzes the biomechanics of your form while running and can help improve performance and even reduce the risk of DBS returning.

Sources: (Helthinline) (Cleveland Clinic)

See also: Piriformis syndrome: why it feels like sciatica 

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