02/03/2026
Do You Have Dead Butt Syndrome?
It’s like amnesia, but for the glutes. Years of sitting and the brain has stopped talking to those muscles.
Weak glutes make our movements less efficient and that can lead to poor postural alignment, increased joint stress and the emergence of pain.
If you work a desk job or commute long distances, check to see if you have any of these signs of dead butt syndrome:
▪ Tight hip flexors
▪ Trouble feeling your glutes during exercise
▪ Pain in knee, hip, and/or ankle joints
▪ Pain/stiffness with prolonged sitting
Still unsure? Try this:
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Try to use your glutes to lift your hips off the ground. If you feel like work is happening more in the hamstrings or low back, then your glutes may have left the party.
Let’s gently invite them back with a couple of exercises done 2-3 times per week:
1. Perform the glute bridge. Focus on digging the heels into the ground and squeezing the glutes before lifting the hips. Hold the bridge at the top for a few seconds to be sure you feel the work in the glutes, then lower and repeat.
2. Get into a tabletop position or lie on your stomach. Extend a straight leg behind you and lift and lower creating a rainbow. Alternatively, bend the knee and slowly kick the foot up towards the ceiling.
3. In a side lying position, lift a straight leg in a diagonal line up towards the ceiling and behind you. Brace your abdominals to avoid rolling back as you lift the leg.
If you’re still struggling to wake up your glutes and you’re having pain or stiffness, then it’s time to come in to get some one-on-one guidance from one of our therapists at Flex PT. 📞: 425-483-4270
https://flexpt.com