Is sitting all day hurting your glutes?

With long workdays, commutes and screen time, more people are unknowingly weakening one part of the body: the glutes or muscles in the buttocks.

Sitting for hours can cause your glute muscles to deactivate and weaken over time. This is called dead glute syndrome. Why does it matter? It can have a ripple effect on the rest of the body, especially the lower back.

“In my experience, dead glute syndrome, or weak glute muscles, is mostly a result of inactivity – specifically prolonged sitting,” says Aubrie Krause, a physical therapist at Advocate Health Care. “The phrase ‘use it or lose it’ is very relevant in these cases.”

How dead glute syndrome happens

When you’re sitting most of the day, your glutes stay stretched for hours at a time. This causes them to adapt to that position. They become less responsive and less effective when you need to use them.

Further fueling the problem: You’re using your glutes a lot less when you’re sitting, which makes it harder to actively think about contracting those muscles. Your body and brain get out of the habit of even thinking about using them.

The more this happens, the more you use other body parts to compensate. And that creates problems for your hips, lower back and hamstrings.

“It’s common for these people to become ‘hamstring dominant,’ meaning they use their hamstrings to initiate hop extension instead of their glutes,” Krause says. “They may also rely more on their lower back, using a combination of hamstring activation and back extension to move the leg behind them. Over time, that can lead to lower back problems.”

How to strengthen your glute muscles

The good news is there are many ways to strengthen your glutes and avoid back problems. The best approach usually involves isolated glute strengthening and a diverse exercise program.

“If you only do one form of exercise – like running or swimming – then your body will adapt to what exercise or activity you do most often,” Krause explains. “Ideally, we should be doing a combination of strength training and cardio to maintain balance.”

If you have a sedentary job or hobbies that require sitting, Krause recommends starting with isolated glute strengthening, such as bridges, hip extensions or seated hinging. Progressing to compound strengthening, like squats or dead lifts, can also make a big difference.

“The most important part, especially at first, is avoiding sustained postures,” she says. “If you sit all day, taking breaks to stand or move around is very helpful.”

Trying to find a doctor or physical therapist? Find one in Illinois or Wisconsin.