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We sit at the computer, in traffic jams, and in the evening we settle down on the couch. The result is gluteal amnesia: the muscles “forget” how to do their job, the structure of the body changes, and with it our psychological image. We understand what the “dead pelvis” syndrome is and how to deal with it.
Doctors, for whom there are no “decent” and “indecent” body parts, have long had a definition for what happens to each of us while we “rest” in an office chair: gluteal amnesia.
This means that the muscles of this important part of the body simply forget how to do their job. Namely, to stabilize our position in space and the position of the pelvis as well.
This term has become a reality for those who are forced to spend the working day sitting at the table. Like any other forced position, this sooner or later leads to changes in the structure of the body and psychological image.
A person who is accustomed to not moving for a long time, imperceptibly becomes inert, lethargic. What happens to our bashfully unnamed fifth point and why did it turn out to be so important?
To prevent muscles from becoming shorter from daily sitting, stretching should be done every day, at least for a few minutes.
“Our bodies were not designed to sit for that long,” says Kristen Shuten, a physiotherapist at the Michigan Rehabilitation Center. “So if you sit at least a few hours a day, whether at home or at work, it will already lead to negative consequences.”
What changes are taking place in those who sit at work, and what can be done about it?
Some muscles become shorter, while others lengthen disproportionately
“The balance of tension in the body is disturbed and the tug of war begins,” says the physiotherapist. – The muscles of the thigh become shorter, and the muscles of the buttocks, on the contrary, stretch. Both are happening because we have artificially limited their range of motion.
Excessive tension arises in the body, other muscles turn on, which also tense up to compensate for the lethargy and inactivity of the gluteal muscles.
Not to mention the fact that the muscles of the buttocks outwardly become not so elastic and rounded. This alone is already an incentive to get down to business!”
Pain and discomfort in unexpected places
Some people with dead pelvis syndrome constantly feel pain in places that are far from the designated point. For example, tight thigh muscles can trigger back pain.
Weak gluteal muscles cause balance problems. The person simply starts slipping or falling more and doesn’t know why.
Many people experience back pain that they do not associate with dead pelvis syndrome. It is also difficult to guess that pain in the knees or feet can appear for the same reason.
Even athletes have zones with “stone” muscles
Kristen Shuten works at a rehabilitation center for ballet dancers and dancers. These people cannot be called inactive, but they also have problems with the correct balance between tension and relaxation of the antagonist muscles.
“Performing the most difficult movements, they do not always activate the correct muscles and load the compensatory muscles.” To avoid the appearance in the body of areas with “stone”, and therefore, overloaded muscles, everyone – both athletes and sedentary workers – should include exercises such as squats and leg raises in their workout. And do not forget about stretching, ideally it should be done every day, at least for a few minutes.
4. How to bring the muscles back to life?
Of course, the term “dead pelvis syndrome” is symbolic. “Your muscles are still in place, they are alive,” says the expert. “But they don’t do their job and don’t function properly. The timing is known when this condition occurs and how long it takes for the muscles to start working normally. It takes twice as long to bring them back to life as it took to acquire dead pelvis syndrome. It is important not to stop exercising and doing it daily.
Dead pelvis syndrome can be prevented
The easiest way to “wake up” this important body part is to set a timer on your phone. Get up every hour and go out into the hallway or stairs.
For those who sit behind the wheel for a long time, the habit of alternately squeezing and relaxing the gluteal muscles will be useful.
Try to use the wonderful practice of the inhabitants of the African continent when walking. Few of them have flat or “sluggish” buttocks. The secret is simple – when walking, they alternately strain the gluteal muscle on the left or right side!
Source: healthblog.uofmhealth.org