Personal trainer Julia shows us exercises to get rid of aches and pains caused by Dormant Bottom Syndrome
DBS develops when the gluteal muscles in your backside are weak, increasing the risk of injury to the back, hips and knees
IF you suffer from dodgy knees, clicky hips or lower backache, the culprit may be right behind you – a lazy, underused bottom.
We spend hours sitting on our behinds every day, making our glutes weak.
The condition is now so common that one US medic named it Dormant Bottom Syndrome.
DBS develops when the gluteal muscles in your backside are weak and the hip flexors — muscles which control movement in your hips — are tight.
This means other muscles take the strain and this can cause all sorts of injuries to the back, hips and knees.
Fitness expert Julia Buckley says: “More and more people are contacting me with issues related to weak glutes, without realising that’s the cause.
“Our bodies are engineered to move, not to spend most of the day sitting.
“So, most importantly, I recommend people get up and move around more as part of their daily lives.
“Over the past few years I’ve also seen a huge increase in young women wanting to build up their booties.
“Often, their primary motivations are looking hot on Instagram, rather than avoiding injuries and pain, but if the Insta-booty trend makes them want to train their glutes I’m not going to discourage them.”
So if you want to reduce your risk of injury AND have a rear pert enough for a Love Island thong bikini, follow personal trainer Julia’s exercises to remedy the problem.
Problem: Bad posture
Fix: Squat
STAND tall, with feet shoulder-width apart. Beginners can start with hands on hips, intermediate hands behind head or, if you are advanced, hold a dumbbell in each hand.
Keeping your back straight, bend your knees and lower the hips behind you as if you’re sitting in a chair. Keep your feet flat on the floor and knees aligned over the feet.
Aim to lower to the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor, or lower if your knees are comfortable.
Push the feet into the floor and keep your knees aligned as you press back up to standing. Repeat 20 times.
Problem: Lower back pain
Fix: Shell Stretch
GET on all-fours with a knee under each hip and a hand under each shoulder.
Keeping your arms extended, slowly press your hips back towards your heels.
Don’t worry if the range of movement you have in your hips or knees won’t allow you to sit right back, just press them back as far as is comfortable. Maintain the position for a couple of deep breaths, focusing on releasing tension in the glutes, hips and lower back, then slowly return to the start position.
Repeat five times.
Problem: Archy shoulders
Fix: Glute bridge and pulse
FIRST lie flat on the floor and take a few deep breaths.
As you exhale allow any tension you’re holding around the shoulders to release.
Bend your knees placing the feet flat on the floor, extend your arms out at shoulder level and tilt the pelvis upwards. Squeeze the glutes as you raise the hips up.
Keeping the hips up, continue squeezing the glutes as strongly as you can and extend the hips upward just a couple of inches more for four little pulses.
Slowly lower to the start position and take a deep breath in and out before repeating.
Repeat 15 times.
Problem: Clicky knees
Fix: Frog glute raise with band
WITH a workout band positioned just above your knees, lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet together.
If you don’t have a band you can do without it, but really focus on resisting the movement and tensing muscles.
Press the knees apart so you can feel resistance as you slowly stretch the band outward. Then tilt the pelvis upwards. Squeeze glutes as you slowly raise your hips up. Hold the top position for a second, then slowly lower and repeat.
Repeat 20 times.
Problem: Stiff knees
Fix: Half pigeon pose
START on all fours and then extend your left leg so that it is straight out behind you.
Bring your hips down on to your mat and position your right leg in front of you with the knee bent, and the heel pointing towards your body.
If you are more flexible, move the foot away from the body aiming towards eventually getting the front shin parallel to the hips.
Gently lean forward over the front leg, while supporting your body with your hands.
Hold for five deep slow breaths or as long as you can and repeat on the other side.
Repeat this twice on each side.
Problem: Foot and ankle pain
Fix: Kneeling get-up
SIT in a kneeling position with your hips on your ankles. If your knees won’t allow you to sit back, kneel up with your lower legs on the mat.
Beginners place the hands on the hips, intermediate behind head, or if you are advanced you can hold weights at shoulder height.
You can hold on to something for balance. Squeeze your glutes as you press the hips upward so you’re kneeling up then bring the right knee up placing the foot flat on the floor.
Keeping the body straight, press the right foot into the floor as you bring your left foot forward and come into a standing position.
Repeat 16 times, alternating legs.
Problem: Poor running style
Fix: Lunge
STANDING with feet shoulder-width apart, take a long step out with your right leg.
Lower your hips towards the floor, keeping your back straight and looking forward, until your front thigh is parallel to the floor or to the point of discomfort – but not pain.
Don’t let your right knee flare out to either side.
Press your front foot into the floor, then power up the starting position.
Repeat ten times on each leg.
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Problem: Knee pain
Fix: Three-way band toe tap
PLACE a workout band above the knees, if you have one. Sit the hips back a little, as if you are starting to squat. Press the hips back rather than letting your knees go forward.
Straighten the left leg and extend it out to the left, with your toes pointed.
Most of your weight should now be supported by the right leg.
Keeping your left leg straight, focusing on the glute muscles controlling the movement, tap your toe on the floor behind you, then diagonally behind across the back of your legs, then back out to your left side.
Repeat the exercise ten times on each leg.
Glutes are key
YOUR gluteal muscles are an essential part of your core, writes chartered physiotherapist Leanne Antoine, of Distinct Physiotherapy.
They start at the base of the spine and pelvis and attach to the top of your thigh bone, the femur.
Made up of three muscles that work together – gluteus minimus, medius and maximus – your “glutes” allow various hip movements, including lifting your leg out behind you, to the side of you and rotation.
They also stabilise your pelvis when you take weight on one leg, even when you are just walking.
If the muscles are weak, it can lead to compensations in other parts of your body.
Some of us have no idea they are weak in the first place. Others have tight and short muscles, which can cause problems too.
Back ache, hip pain, knee injuries, hamstring tears and foot and ankle strains are all common in this case.
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