The latest health concern buzzing on TikTok is “office chair butt,” a term popularized by content creators who worry that prolonged sitting at work can degrade the strength and appearance of one’s glutes.
Alexandra, a TikTok user, ignited the discussion with a video posted in early July, amassing over 7 million views. “Just found out about office chair butt so I will be using the standing desk feature for all 8 hours every day,” she captioned.
Another user, Itzel, shared a video viewed over 2.6 million times, dubbing office chair butt her “new fear.”
But should people be genuinely concerned about this? Experts weigh in on how extended sitting affects the body and offer tips on maintaining muscle health during the workday.
Understanding Office Chair Butt
“Office chair butt” lacks a formal medical definition, according to Evan Johnson, DPT, director of Och Spine Care Outpatient Physical Therapy at NewYork-Presbyterian. However, sitting for long periods can impact the glutes.
Andrew Bach, DO, a physical medicine and rehab specialist at Cedars-Sinai, explains, “By sitting in a chair for hours, days, weeks, and years, we neglect our glutes, causing them to become deconditioned and lose muscle mass.”
When sedentary, various muscles, including the glutes, deltoids, pectorals, and hamstrings, remain inactive, leading to weakness over time. Johnson adds that weakened muscles may be infiltrated by fatty tissue, diminishing their resilience.
Prolonged sitting can also alter muscle appearance. The gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the body, may decline, leading to noticeable changes. “Sitting on the muscle all day and not exercising it results in the muscle losing tone and eventually shape,” says Johnson. This can result in a flat or soft buttocks appearance if muscle is replaced by fat.
Muscles can also shorten or tighten from excessive sitting, reshaping the body to fit the chair’s contours, Bach notes.
Does Sitting Harm Your Glutes?
Fortunately, sitting doesn’t typically harm glutes directly, says Johnson. However, weak glutes can strain other muscles in the thigh and back over time.
Bach explains that prolonged sitting in one position could, in rare cases, cause pressure wounds. However, most people shift their weight frequently enough to prevent this.
Pain from prolonged sitting might indicate “dead butt syndrome,” rather than office chair butt. This pain could stem from sciatica or tendinopathy in the gluteal muscles. Gluteal amnesia, where muscles struggle to contract after long periods of inactivity, is another concern.
“If you are sitting down all day, you are not activating your muscles, and the effect can be that when you do use them, they might not be as reliable as before,” Bach explains. Symptoms like numbness, tingling, and pain may warrant a healthcare provider’s attention.
Preventing Office Chair Butt
While office chair butt itself doesn’t necessitate medical attention, the broader effects of prolonged sitting, such as muscle weakness and poor posture, might. Bach points out that transitioning to a desk job or sedentary lifestyle often triggers pain in clients.
To prevent office chair butt, Bach advises staying active and regularly activating the glutes. Simple actions like standing up from your desk, walking, or taking the stairs can help. Using a standing desk or performing seated exercises like glute squeezes or calf raises every 15 minutes can also be beneficial.
Johnson suggests specific exercises like bridges, clamshells, squats, and step-ups to strengthen glutes outside the office, emphasizing proper form to avoid improper movement patterns.
Practicing these habits can lead to a stronger, shapelier behind, promoting overall health, self-esteem, and fitness. Johnson encourages celebrating individual differences in shape and size, with the ultimate goal of enhancing health without body shaming.
