Dead Butt Syndrome: 6 Exercises to Keep Your Fanny Fit

Now that you’re reading this article—and I know that you are, given the title—let me assure you that dead butt syndrome (or gluteus medius tendinosis) is a genuine and growing problem. 

Prolonged pressure on specific areas of the body can induce ischemia, a lack of blood flow to tissues. This can lead to skin breakdown or pressure sores—one of the most challenging acute health situations we see in our clinic.

You can easily observe ischemia by firmly pressing a finger against any place on your body for a few seconds. When you lift your finger, the skin will be blanched and white. When pressure is maintained long enough, it can cause skin breakdown in that area.

The modern era and its related technology offer ample opportunity for extended sitting, resulting in a host of related postural problems occurring in greater numbers than ever. In addition to skin breakdown, broad pressure applied to larger body areas for extended periods can compress tissues beyond the skin. Muscles, tendons, and other surrounding areas may also be affected.

Gluteus medius tendinosis is one potential result of extended sitting time and, combined with bad posture, can set the stage for additional problems.

Never fear: If you have an abundance of seat time, you don’t have to accept the possibility of a dead duff sitting down. Simple exercises are one of the best remedies to counter long periods of sitting. 

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The following exercises work well for my patients, but speak with your medical professional to ensure they are right for you.

6 Exercises for a Fit Fanny

1. Hip Hikes 

This exercise can be performed from the comfort of your chair. It activates the pelvis muscles and removes weight from your bottom while you sit.

Step 1: Scoot to the front of your chair and place your hands on your thighs. Sit upright and maintain a straight back. 

Step 2: Slowly lift your right hip as far as you can. The movement won’t be large. It is essential to keep your back upright during this activity; resist the temptation to lean to the side. Take approximately 1 to 2 seconds to move all the way up so that you can control the movement.

Step 3: Slowly lower your right side and repeat the movement on the left.

Step 4: Rising up and then back down counts as 1 repetition. Try to perform 15 repetitions on each side and 3 sets of 15. You can alternate between your left and right sides or perform all repetitions on one side before moving on to the other. 

Do this exercise frequently—as often as you think about it—or at least every 30 minutes. Your tired tush will thank you.

2. Chair Squats

For brief breaks, this exercise is a surefire way to strengthen the legs and glutes and increase blood flow throughout the lower body. 

Step 1: Sit at the front of a stable chair with your feet on the floor, and your arms stretched straight forward. 

Step 2: Slowly stand up, taking approximately 1 to 2 seconds to rise. Bring your arms to your sides in one smooth movement as you rise from sitting.

Step 3: Move slowly back into sitting, taking 1 to 2 seconds. Land softly to avoid straining your lower back. As you move to sit, extend your arms straight out in front of you again.

Step 4: Standing up and sitting back down counts as 1 repetition. Try to perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Feel free to adjust sets and repetitions to suit your needs. 

Modification: Start standing and limit how far you squat down with each repetition. You can also situate the chair in front of a table, counter, or other stable surface so you can stabilize with your hands.

3. Hip Circles

Hip circles promote increased flexibility and blood flow throughout the pelvic girdle and do wonders for resetting your posture after extended sitting. 

Step 1: Stand with your hands on your hips and feet a few inches apart.

Step 2: Move your hips in a circular, clockwise pattern. Imagine drawing an imaginary circle with your belt buckle or navel. Start with a comfortable-sized circle, moving to larger circles as your muscles and joints warm up.

Step 3: Perform these exercises for 1 minute in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to complete 1 set. Try to perform 3 sets.

Modifications: To increase stability, you can hold onto something to stabilize your balance. Do however many sets feel best for you.

4. Standing Pelvic Tilts

This is an excellent exercise to follow hip circles to further nurture your poor, mistreated lower back.

Step 1: Stand up, keeping your back straight.

Step 2: Keep your arms at your sides as you slowly roll your pelvis to the rear without moving your feet. Keep your hips straight—the only movement will be in your pelvis. Next, reverse the movement and bring your pelvis forward. The movement is mainly at the bottom of your pelvis, but you will also feel the effort in the small of your back. Avoid swaying back and forth during this movement.

Step 3: Moving your pelvis back and forward is considered 1 repetition. Try to perform 15 repetitions per set for 3 sets. 

These movements effectively engage the pelvic and hip muscles and help with circulation.

5. Leg/Glute Tapping

Gentle tapping is an excellent way to increase blood flow. It’s simple to perform and yields an excellent increase in blood flow. 

Step 1: In a standing position, place your hands just above your right knee on both the inside and outside of your thigh. 

Step 2: Tap your thighs firmly with the palms of your hands as you move up your thigh. Once you reach the top, move back down to the starting point just above your knee. Repeat this movement 12 times before moving to your left leg and repeating. 

Step 3: Following this, perform the same tapping movement on your gluteus maximus for 1 minute. 

Step 4: The above movements can be considered 1 set. Perform 3 sets on legs and glutes.

Though this exercise may appear unconventional at first, it will quickly become one of your favorites.

5. Standing Kickbacks

Standing kickbacks are great for engaging your middle and lower back and gluteal muscles. They also stretch your hip flexors. Standing kickbacks are quick and simple to do and offer decisive benefits. They strengthen the glute muscles and are a perfect counterpose to sitting, strengthening one side while stretching the other.

Step 1: Stand in front of a table, desk, or chair to have something to hold onto for stabilization.

Step 2: Lean forward and bend your right hip and knee, then slowly kick straight back so that your leg is horizontal to the floor once you extend it. Take approximately 2 seconds to press it back.

Step 3: Bring your right leg back down and perform the movement with the left leg.

Step 4: Kicking back with a single leg and moving it back to the floor counts as 1 repetition. Try to perform 12 repetitions per leg per set, either alternating legs or doing all repetitions on one side before moving to the other. Try to perform 3 sets. 

These exercises can help break up prolonged sitting cycles and prevent what may appear to be a dead-end situation. They don’t take long to perform as a whole workout. I recommend doing them every couple of hours for maximum benefit.