Dead Butt Syndrome: The Hidden Cause of Back, Hip, and Knee Pain
Do you spend hours sitting at a desk, only to feel stiff and sore when you finally stand up? If so, you might be experiencing Dead Butt Syndrome (DBS)—a condition where the gluteal muscles, particularly the gluteus medius, become weak or inactive. Also known as Gluteal Amnesia, this issue can lead to pain, discomfort, and increased risk of injuries in the lower back, hips, and knees.
At Neurohealth Wellness, we frequently see patients struggling with DBS, often without realising their glutes are the root cause of their pain. The good news? With proper chiropractic care, movement retraining, and corrective exercises, you can restore function and prevent further complications.
What Causes Dead Butt Syndrome?
Several factors contribute to DBS, most of which are common in modern lifestyles:
1. Prolonged Sitting
Sitting for extended periods inhibits glute activation, leading to muscle weakening over time. When you sit, your glutes remain inactive while your hip flexors stay in a shortened position, creating imbalances.
2. Lack of Physical Activity
Without regular movement and strength training, the brain loses its ability to engage the glutes properly, a phenomenon known as neuromuscular inhibition. This leads to compensation patterns where other muscles, like the lower back or hamstrings, take over.
3. Poor Posture
Slouching, anterior pelvic tilt, or excessive lumbar arching can place undue stress on the lower back and hips, preventing the glutes from firing correctly during movement.
4. Overuse of Hip Flexors
Tightness in muscles like the iliopsoas (hip flexor) inhibits proper glute activation. When the hip flexors become dominant, the glutes remain underused and progressively weaken.
5. Improper Exercise Routine
Performing exercises with incorrect form, or focusing too much on quadriceps and hamstring training while neglecting glute activation, can worsen DBS.
Common Symptoms of Dead Butt Syndrome
Because the glutes play a key role in pelvic stability, posture, and movement, their dysfunction leads to pain and discomfort in multiple areas:
- Gluteal pain or numbness (often worsened after sitting)
- Lower back pain due to a lack of pelvic stability
- Hip pain caused by overactive hip flexors and weak glutes
- Knee pain resulting from improper alignment and excessive joint stress
- Tight hamstrings due to compensatory muscle activation
- Reduced performance in walking, running, or climbing stairs
If left untreated, these issues can contribute to chronic pain, mobility restrictions, and increased injury risk.
Chiropractic Assessment for Dead Butt Syndrome
At Neurohealth Wellness, our chiropractors take a holistic approach to diagnosing and treating DBS. We assess posture, mobility, and neuromuscular function to identify imbalances and dysfunctions that may be contributing to your symptoms.
1. Postural Analysis
We evaluate your standing and seated posture to check for signs of pelvic misalignment, excessive arching, or forward head posture, all of which impact glute activation.
2. Glute Activation Test
Simple muscle testing allows us to determine how well your glutes fire during movement. Weak or delayed activation often points to neuromuscular inhibition.
3. Single-Leg Balance Test
Poor balance and stability on one leg often indicate weak glutes and overreliance on other muscles, such as the quadriceps or lower back.
4. Hip Mobility and Flexibility Assessment
Restricted hip mobility, particularly in tight hip flexors or hamstrings, can prevent proper glute engagement. We assess your range of motion and flexibility to determine contributing factors.
Chiropractic Treatment for Dead Butt Syndrome
At Neurohealth Wellness, our chiropractic care goes beyond spinal adjustments. We focus on restoring proper movement patterns, muscle activation, and joint stability.
1. Manual Adjustments & Joint Mobilisation
Spinal and pelvic misalignments can contribute to poor movement mechanics. Adjustments help restore proper alignment, reduce tension, and improve nerve communication to the glutes.
2. Soft Tissue Therapy
Tight hip flexors, hamstrings, and lower back muscles often contribute to DBS. Trigger point therapy, myofascial release, and dry needling (offered by our acupuncturist Lucia) help relieve tension and improve mobility.
3. Glute Activation Exercises
We prescribe targeted exercises to retrain your nervous system to engage the glutes correctly. These may include:
- Glute bridges (to wake up the glutes)
- Clamshells (to strengthen the gluteus medius)
- Hip thrusts (to improve hip extension power)
- Single-leg deadlifts (to enhance balance and stability)
4. Postural Correction & Movement Coaching
We guide you in ergonomic improvements and postural awareness to prevent recurrence. Simple changes, like using a standing desk or taking regular movement breaks, can make a huge difference.
Take Action Against Dead Butt Syndrome
If you’re experiencing hip, back, or knee pain and suspect your glutes may not be functioning optimally, it’s time to take action. At Neurohealth Wellness, our chiropractors can assess your condition and create a personalised treatment plan to restore glute function, improve posture, and reduce pain.
Book an Appointment Today
Don’t let Dead Butt Syndrome hold you back from moving freely! Book a consultation with our team today and take the first step toward reactivating your glutes and restoring pain-free movement.
👉 Call us at (02) 9905 9099 or book online at www.neurohealthwellness.com.au/booking.
References
- Sahrmann SA. Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes. Mosby, 2002.
- Clark BC, Manini TM. What is neuromuscular inhibition? Muscle & Nerve. 2010;42(5):601-607.
- Neumann DA. Kinesiology of the Hip: A Focus on Muscular Actions. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2010;40(2):82-94.
- Macadam P, Feser EH. Gluteal Muscle Activation and Its Relationship to Lower Limb Biomechanics. J Strength Cond Res. 2019;33(6):1623-1631.
- Lewis CL, Sahrmann SA. The Effect of Posture on Hip Extension Range of Motion and Gluteal Muscle Activation. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2009;39(12):791-798.
