There is Hope for Those Who Suffer From “Dead Butt Syndrome”

They Call it “Gluteal Amnesia,” Which Means Your Ass is Asleep.

Our ancestors fell out of trees so that we can sit on our butts most of the time, especially if we work or play with a computer. According to the American Heart Association, 80 percent of us work in sedentary jobs. That’s a lot of sitting. That’s a lot of numb butts. It’s also a lot of opportunities to increase our risk of heart disease, lose muscle mass, and even boost the chances of some cancers. Fortunately, all hope for our butts is not lost.

According to a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the easiest way to save our asses is to walk them off. Between 9,000 and 10,500 steps per day, ideally. Participants in the study who accomplished this feat had a 39 percent lower mortality risk and dropped their risk of cardiovascular disease by 21 percent. The good news for folks not quite ready to commit to the full 10,000 steps is that about half of the health benefits were racked up between 4,000 and 4,500 steps. If that’s still too ambitious, mortality and cardiovascular disease risks still dropped for those who put in at least 2,200 steps per day.

Sometimes it can be difficult to resist the gravitational pull of the computer, especially when it’s our livelihood. That’s when motivation in the form of a friend who can become a walking partner can be useful. If no walking friends are available or we just prefer to be alone with ourselves, there are podcasts, audiobooks, and music that can keep our minds stimulated while we walk. Locating walking paths and nature trails can add reasons to stand up and move around in the outdoors.

Other out-of-the-house options include mall walking or strolling through the aisles at the local grocery store. If we’re not stable on our feet, we can add a cane or walking sticks. Using walking or ski poles is sometimes known as Nordic walking and can keep us from slipping, tripping, or falling while they also give our upper body muscles a chance to play along.

Outside isn’t always friendly, though. Rain, snow, extreme heat, risky neighborhoods; none of those make a lively walk easier. Dr. Aaron Baggish, a professor of sports science at Switzerland’s University of Lausanne, told the Huffington Post that those who need to remain inside of their home have a few exercise options.

“What I typically tell people is to find either a loop within the house that goes through consecutive rooms or the longest straight distance, which is usually a hallway.” Whether alone, with a friend, surrounded by music, or just listening to our own breath, a 20 or 30-minute walk should do the job even if the view never changes. To mix things up a bit, we can choose music that inspires us to dance, even if it’s only long enough to wait for the microwave to beep. Far more enjoyable for some, research has proven that moderate-intensity dance is good for both our physical and mental well-being.

Maybe our home isn’t very large or is packed with people who don’t understand why we’re pacing back and forth. In that case, walking up and down stairs can serve as an alternative. Once fatigue sets in, that’s the message that it’s time to wrap it up and start again later. The longer this is done, the greater our endurance should become. If none of these options are realistic, there’s always the space-eating efficiency of a desk or traditional treadmill.

This activity should provide some relief from what can be called “dead butt syndrome,” or “paresthesia,” or “gluteal amnesia,” but they all mean the same thing: our ass has gone numb from sitting too long. This is because sitting for a long time compresses and irritates nerves. When we sit for too long, our glutes lose power due to lack of activity, and other muscles and joints must pick up the slack, which can lead to “synergistic dominance.”

It's not just strength that needs to be regained, though. There’s also flexibility in the hips. The less flexibility, the harder it is for the gluteus maximus to do its job. But don’t try to do everything at once. Just because the personal trainer at the local gym takes pride in the number of reps they can do doesn’t mean a less fit body is ready for that. In fact, over-exercising can leave us feeling stiffer in our lower back, hamstrings, and quads.

Obviously, the best way to avoid a numb butt is to keep moving and limit the time we spend sitting. One way to do that is to set a timer to remind us to take a break, stand, stretch, and walk around a little. The standard recommendation is to take a 10-minute break for every hour of sitting.

Additionally, something as simple as a few butt clenches throughout the day can help keep things limber. Donovan Green, a celebrity fitness trainer and author, suggests five simple exercises that can be performed during breaks. These are the wide stance jump squat, side steps with bands, side lunges, kettlebell squats, and lateral steps up.

Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something. Exercise can be discouraging if we don’t see the outcome we want quickly, or it takes longer than we like to meet our goals. That doesn’t mean our efforts aren’t producing results, though. Any amount of exercise and time away from sitting is more than we’re investing right now if our asses keep falling asleep at inopportune moments.