COLUMBUS – Back or hip pain? Knee injury? It could be the result of “dormant butt syndrome.
The name refers to tightness of hip flexors and weakness of the gluteal muscles that can lead to knee, hip or back pain suffered by millions Americans, according to a physical therapist at the OSU Wexner Medical Center.
“The rear end should act as support for the entire body and as a shock absorber for stress during exercise. But if it’s too weak, other parts of the body take up the slack and often results in injury” says Chris Kolba, who coined the term to describe a condition where weakened gluteal muscles lead to serious conditions.
(Kolba, pictured above, demonstrates workout technique)
He says, when the gluteal muscles are weak, muscles and joints around them absorb strain during exercise, often causing hamstring injuries, back pain, hip pain and knee injuries that could lead to surgery.
Dorman butt syndrome is potentially linked to everything from tight hip flexors to chronic pain in the lower back and even injuries to the meniscus, often resulting in knee surgery, and it isn’t caused only by exercising improperly.
It can aso be caused by inactivity during the day and the way we sleep at night, Kolba said.
Stretching, stand and walk as often as possible throughout the day and adding exercise to strengthen the gluteal muscles can help you avoid pain and injury in other parts of the middle to lower body, he said.