Do you experience buttock pain after long periods of sitting? What if your sedentary lifestyle is the source of your discomfort?
Our contemporary lifestyles are making us increasingly sedentary. At work or at home, we spend most of our days sitting. However, our bodies are not designed to remain in a static position for long hours; they need movement.
In cases of prolonged sitting, numbness, stiffness, and even chronic pain in the gluteal region can appear.
Let's take stock of the different types of buttock pain and provide solutions to relieve them, or even better, prevent them.
How can prolonged sitting cause buttock pain?
Prolonged sitting puts a strain on your body and can have undesirable physiological effects such as buttock pain, as well as pain in the pelvis, hips, and lower back.
When you sit for long hours, the gluteal area is subjected to constant pressure to support your weight. Tissues (muscles and tendons) and nerves are compressed, causing numbness and even pain in the buttocks.
By staying seated, your stabilizing muscles become inhibited. These hip, abdominal, and back muscles maintain the pelvis and torso. Unused stabilizing muscles weaken and risk leading to lower back pain if not strengthened.
Another consequence of static and prolonged sitting posture: blood circulation slows down, which can eventually lead to cardiovascular problems.
Muscles and joints that weaken from lack of use, compressed tissues, and decreased blood circulation often end up causing chronic pain.
This mechanism of buttock pain after a long period of immobility in a sitting position is now well understood. A clinical case illustrates the pain caused by prolonged postural inactivity, especially if the posture is slumped or not optimal.
Types of gluteal pain related to prolonged sitting
Different types of pain felt in the gluteal region can occur due to a sedentary lifestyle. Buttock pain can be grouped into three main categories based on their physiological origin.
Muscle pain related to inactivity
Gluteal amnesia (muscle inhibition of the buttocks)
Gluteal amnesia literally translates to amnesia of the glutes. This pathology, linked to prolonged sitting, refers to a neurological phenomenon. In the absence of solicitation, the gluteal muscles, particularly the gluteus maximus and medius, are no longer correctly activated by the brain.
Yet, these muscles are essential for stabilizing the pelvis and maintaining optimal posture.
Several scientific studies describe the pain and postural disorders resulting from prolonged inactivity.
Also called dead butt syndrome or sleeping glute syndrome, gluteal amnesia is becoming increasingly common, a consequence of pelvic immobility in sedentary individuals.
Muscle tension and contractures
Do you feel muscle tension and soreness that reduce your freedom of movement? It is possible that the source of the problem is related to muscle tension, caused by your sedentary lifestyle.
The mechanism of immobility in a sitting position and its repercussions are well known: when the pelvic muscles remain inactive for a long time, pelvic myofascial pain appears.
Also called trigger points, myofascial pain are hypersensitive areas that cause a sensation of discomfort and muscle stiffness that hinders movement.
Studies have shown that it is possible to relieve tension by daily exercises aimed at reactivating the muscles of the gluteal region.
Nerve pain exacerbated by sitting
An immobile sitting posture exerts continuous pressure on the nerves of the gluteal region. Sharp pain can appear, a consequence of nerve compression or irritation caused by prolonged static sitting.
Deep nerve irritations / postural sciatica
Deep gluteal syndrome (DGS) is a term describing the compression or irritation of a nerve in the deep buttock region.
In an immobile sitting position, the gluteal muscles (quadratus femoris, piriformis, obturator internus, and gemelli) tend to compress the nerves in the region.
Therefore, it's no surprise if you experience pain, burning, or numbness in your buttock when you sit for too long.
Piriformis syndrome (sciatic nerve compression)
Piriformis syndrome refers to compression of the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle located in the buttock. Prolonged sitting can worsen or even cause piriformis syndrome.
The pain felt in the glutes follows the sciatic nerve and can reach the back of the thigh, calf, and extend to the foot.
Bone or joint pain accentuated by sitting
Prolonged sitting exerts stress on bone and joint structures, which can lead to chronic pain.
Sitting for hours at the office often aggravates existing joint disorders, functional impairments, and stiffness.
Ischial bursitis
When sitting for long periods, the ischia (the bones on which we sit) are subjected to constant pressure to support body weight.
Fortunately, ischial bursae, small fluid-filled cushions located under the ischia, function to absorb this pressure.
Unfortunately, if you maintain a sitting position for long hours, it is possible to develop or worsen ischial bursitis, which results in inflammation of the bursae and sharp pain in the buttock.
Coccydynia (tailbone pain)
Coccydynia is tailbone pain that can start or increase after a long period of sitting. The phenomenon is the result of pressure exerted on the coccygeal bone and adjacent tissues.
If you experience tailbone pain, avoid hard seats and opt for ergonomic seating (cushion, stool, ergonomic chair, stability ball chair...).
Sacroiliac pain
The sacroiliac joints are junction areas, connected on both sides of the pelvis to the spinal column by ligaments. This is the articulation at the heart of the support area in a sitting position, susceptible to pain if one remains static for too long.
If you have pain from your lower back to your buttocks, or even into your leg, it is possible that you are suffering from sacroiliitis, an inflammation of the sacroiliac joint.
A passive sitting position, meaning without activation of the stabilizing muscles, a misaligned pelvis, and a hunched back can accentuate sacroiliac pain.
Buttock pain worsened by sitting, but of non-postural origin
Sedentary lifestyle and prolonged sitting amplify existing pain that may be related to joint pathologies or musculoskeletal disorders.
Sometimes, the discomfort felt in the buttock actually comes from a lumbar problem, such as a herniated disc or lumbosciatica. This is particularly the case for pain that radiates from the lower back and extends to the buttock.
Hip joint pathologies, such as osteoarthritis or tendinopathies, can also cause buttock pain.
Practical solutions to relieve and prevent buttock pain while sitting
The sitting posture is demanding for the body because it exerts constant pressure on the different structures of the support area (gluteal muscles, joints, nerves...).
Eventually, you can develop gluteal, lumbar, and pelvic pain.
Nevertheless, there are solutions to avoid developing musculoskeletal disorders related to prolonged sitting.
If you work sitting down, here are some tips to prevent and relieve buttock pain.
Adapt ergonomics to prevent sedentary ailments
It is possible to reduce the pressure exerted on the different structures of the pelvis and promote better load distribution in a sitting position by adapting the ergonomics of your workstation.
Adopt dynamic seating
The first reflex to have when spending workdays sitting is to adopt dynamic seating. Whether it's a stability ball chair, a dynamic stool, or a chair with an unstable base, the goal is to maintain movement in the pelvis to reduce muscle inhibition.
Active sitting allows you to remain active even while seated. You adjust your posture to stay stable and activate your deep muscles, especially the abdominal and back muscles, to maintain balance.
The Bloon stability ball chair is specially designed to encourage constant micro-movements of the pelvis. The body no longer passively accepts the seat; it interacts with it.
This type of seating improves your posture and strengthens your muscle tone, which helps reduce stiffness and pain in the gluteal region, linked to prolonged sitting posture.
Adjust your furniture
When sitting for several hours, it is common to hunch your back and tilt your pelvis backward, which harms your body. To limit bad postures, adjust your furniture to keep your back straight and your pelvis aligned.
Adjust the height of your seat, as well as your desk, to adopt the correct posture (legs forming a 90-degree angle and feet flat on the floor).
Raise your computer screen to eye level.
Lumbar supports, ergonomic cushions, and footrests can also reduce the discomfort of sitting.
Alternate sitting/standing positions
The key to limiting soreness and fatigue is to avoid prolonged immobility. When you work, alternate between sitting and standing positions.
For example, you can use a sit-stand desk to adjust the height of its surface depending on the position in which you want to work.
Movement to relax and reactivate muscles
Limit buttock pain related to time spent sitting by incorporating more movement into your daily life.
At the office, you can stand up to make phone calls, organize active meetings...
Not only do changes in position limit the risks of MSDs (musculoskeletal disorders), but they also reduce mental fatigue and boost cognitive functions.
Adopting a good daily routine to reactivate muscles can truly relieve buttock pain and nervous tension.
Active breaks
Every 30 to 60 minutes, take an active break (even for a few minutes) and take the opportunity to stand up, walk, and stretch. The goal is to move and change position.
Targeted stretches
Targeted stretches of the piriformis and hip flexors have proven effective in reducing the tension that accumulates with sitting.
Doing a few office stretches is beneficial for both stress and tension relief, and for boosting cognitive function.
Here are the best stretches for numb buttocks:
- Piriformis stretch: Lying on your back, bring the knee of the painful side towards the opposite shoulder.
- Seated glute stretch: Sitting on the floor, cross one leg over the other and bring the knee towards your chest.
Muscle strengthening exercises
Do specific muscle strengthening exercises for the glutes:
- Gluteus medius strengthening: Lying on your side, lift the top leg straight.
- Glute and hamstring strengthening with the bridge (glute bridges): Lying on your back, feet flat on the floor and knees bent, lift your hips towards the ceiling.
Don't hesitate to use some accessories (ball, strap, weights) for your discreet office workout.
Exercises showed a reduction in pain related to inactivity and muscle weakness in sedentary individuals in a 2023 study. Following the implementation of a targeted exercise program, 98% improvement was observed in patients suffering from deep gluteal pain.
Simple daily habits to implement
Do you have no other choice but to spend your days sitting?
Beyond ergonomics and movement, a few habits can prevent buttock pain:
- Avoid crossing your legs: this position increases pressure on the gluteal muscles and the sciatic nerve.
- Do self-massages: use a tennis ball, massage ball, or foam roller to massage the gluteal area and release tension points.
To relieve pain: