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What is Dead Butt Syndrome?
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​"Gluteal amnesia" or "Gluteus Medius Tendinosis" also known as "dead butt syndrome," is a real health issue affecting countless people, and the scariest thing? You may not even know you have it. If "gluteal amnesia" sounds like your butt loses its memory, that's because it kind of actually does.
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“Sitting too long can restrict the blood flow, which can lead to hip pain, lower backache, and problems with your ankles. The glutes will fail to fire properly even when performing exercises targeting the glutes.”
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“Why does it stop working?”
There are many reasons. It may be due to an injury to the lower back or hip, overuse, a hard fall on your butt, or lack of exercise. The problem is, once it does stop working as efficiently, a lot of other things try to compensate for it and the end results can be problems like IT band tendinitis, hip pain, meniscal tears and plantar fasciitis.
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When dead butt syndrome (hereafter known as DBS) occurs, you’ll probably feel a tingling in your backside, just like you would in your foot after you’ve crossed your legs for too long or your arm after you nap in a contorted position (oops).
The “falling asleep” sensation occurs because your nerves are being compressed or irritated, and while some instances of DBS are mild, Green says longterm inactivity “has been shown in multiple studies to have a major impact on how well we can contract and use our glutes effectively.”
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So how can you make sure your job doesn’t cause problems with your tuchus (and the rest of your body!) down the line? Aside from taking regular breaks from sitting—like going on a walk or doing a quick workout over your lunch break—it’s also key to make sure your booty is getting the exercise it needs on the regular through targeted moves.
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