Dormant Butt Syndrome (DBS). Sure, it’s a funny name, but it’s a condition that’s growing in our nation and causing people to experience much more than a ‘pain in the butt.’ While DBS stems from a patient’s gluteus (butt muscle) not working efficiently, it causes aches and pain in the knee, back, and hip areas.

When these muscles are weak, or inefficient, they aren’t able to sustain the shock that they should. With that, areas like the knee, back, and hip are thrust into the responsibility of accepting additional stress – possibly causing pain.

Initially, one may think that you’re feeling the pains of DBS from being sedentary – in our cars, at our jobs, in front of our TVs. However, a number of athletes will have to deal with DBS as well! Especially in track athletes, where running and jumping are paramount, the gluteous will weaken over time if not properly conditioned. In these athletes the strength imbalance can lead to a condition in the front of the hip commonly known as hip flexor tightness.

Seemingly, as our culture leans more and more on inactivity, incidents of this syndrome will only increase.  In addition, beyond sitting and repetitive physical exercise, there are even certain sleeping positions – the fetal, for example – that can also contribute to DBS.

So how do you treat DBS? Get moving! Portsmouth Physical Therapy can treat you with exercises that both stretch the hip flexor as well as strengthen the gluteal muscles. If you’re in pain from DBS, you can make it a habit to break your sitting habit – set an alarm to notify yourself to get up and walk around.

References:

‘Dormant Butt Syndrome – The Newest Threat to Humanity’. Daily Press; Woods, Shannon. http://www.dailypress.com/brandpublishing/healthy-body-healthy-mind/dp-bp-osc-butt-syndrome-story-110116-story.html.

‘Aches and Pain? You Could Have Dormant Butt Syndrome’. CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dormant-butt-syndrome-a-cause-of-common-aches-and-pains/.