Dumb Butt Syndrome - Glute Amnesia - Lame 🍑
Hi All,
I have an issue with my Glute not firing and my ham strings, hips and lower back muscles have been doing so much additional work that finally lead to HORRIFIC back and hip pain on the run last Thursday.
My Sports Med PT and her Tech agree that it is Dumb Butt Syndrome after while attempting to do some of the exercises that they were giving me requiring me to stabilize my hips and core, it became clear that my glute was just un responsive and I could not isolate the movement without recruiting my hammies, hips and back. I really struggle to even get a sense of my body position - I think my hips are forward but they are open to the side. I think my hips are staying flat when they are dipping side to side.
Does anyone have an experience with DBS or poor glute firing and has some good ways to strengthen and fire up dat 🍑 ?
Comments
@Jenniferlyn Kryvicky I dealt with very similar symptoms three years ago, the pain expressed itself in the area behind my knee,where my upper calf and lower hamstring meet. My left glute does not easily activate, likely from a pelvis fracture a long time ago.
For me, my PT has given me a series of glute med and glute max exercises that I do before every bike and run which get the my left side firing. If you google glute med/ glute max you'll see a series of motions you can employ. I also take one day a week (normally Mondays) and do a range of exercises that really hit that area. Additionally, I do a weekly pilates session and focus on that area specifically.
It took some time, but the area will strengthen and you'll be able to feel it activate as you gain more body awareness.
One lingering aspect of this for me is that I have to drop my seat post on my TT bike by ~1 cm. If I have my bike set up like it "should be", my lack of glute engagement forces too much hamstring work and generates pain. I tried moving it up 1 cm this summer with the belief that 3+ years of work should be enough and on the first ride I felt similar, but reduced, pain return :(
I'm happy to send you pics and names of the exercises I do if that would be helpful (PM me). Good luck!
This is likely another version of what has caused my high hamstring tendinitis.
there is no cure all aside from LOTS of strengthening exercises. I do some variations of the exercises in 7 way hips that @Coach Patrick emphasizes and that my Chiro & PT gave me in the past: Bird dogs, fire hydrants. Single leg dead lifts, these are a PT variant and very different than what you think of as dead lifts. Bridges, one legged bridges, one legged bridges on a raised surface. Lots of core. Body weight squats, low weight goblet squats and more...
I am now doing a routine where I mix these up and more 3x a week as I await next steps in DX of other issues before getting PRP injections.
Thank you both for your replies! I'm feeling better that I am on a path to recovery and strength in the future!