Wellness Wednesday – Do You Need An Addanasstomy?

By Ed Lippie, founder and CEO, Momentum Wellness 

What is an addanasstomy? Noun, pronounced: add*an*ass*to*me

Definition: The integration of non-surgical interventions intended to add proportional size and functional strength to the gluteal complex. 

Flat and wide, narrow but well-rounded, flabby and disappearing … despite our butts coming in a variety of shapes and sizes, the functions of our glutes are the same, and important for vitality and longevity. So if someone has issued an APB for your glutes, pay special attention to this article!

Posterior Chain Powerhouse

Our glutes are the powerhouse of our posterior chain, the structures at the back of our legs and spine. 

Glutes impact not only our lower-body functionality, but our upper body posture, as well. Among other conditions, weak glutes contribute to something called upper crossed syndrome. This features an anterior (toward the front) pelvic tilt, flat butt, rounded shoulders and a forward head position, in addition to misaligned hips, knees and ankles. 

Upper crossed syndrome results from chronically weak glutes and weak core muscles, along with tight hip flexors and low back extensors. Not surprisingly, this level of misalignment and dysfunction contributes to higher rates of injury, chronic low-back pain and diminished physical performance. 

Major movements like swinging a golf club, standing on one leg and kicking a ball (among many others) all require glutes that function well. Here’s a quick backside breakdown:

• Anatomy – Our gluteal complex is actually made up of three different muscles.
  • Glute Maximus – as the name implies, this is the largest of the three muscles and is responsible for the overall shape of the buttocks.
  • Glute Medius – is located laterally (at the side) and works synergistically to abduct the hip and stabilize the pelvis during single-leg activities (including gait – walking and running). Hip abduction is using your abductor muscles to move your legs out from your body.
  • Glute Minimus – works synergistically with the glute medius to abduct the hip and stabilize the pelvis.
• Genetics – there is a genetic component to the size and shape of our glutes, which partially explains the reason for the variation among individuals. But our genes are not our destiny – even those genetically predisposed to less glute mass can maximize their potential with consistent, focused training.
• Size – there is often a correlation between size and function but no causative relationship. In other words, you can have large, well-shaped glutes, but that will not guarantee optimal function. With that said, it is very difficult to achieve optimal levels of glute strength without some glute hypertrophy (muscle buildup).
• 21st-century lifestyles – The atrophy of glute muscles are a notable feature of our modern lives, in which we spend far too much time sitting. Sitting compresses, lengthens and weakens our glutes while shortening/tightening our hip flexors.

How to perform your addanasstomy yourself? Here’s how:

• Develop a sitting game plan to mitigate glute atrophy:
  • Build in a five-minute exercise break for every hour of sitting (just walking a lap around the office or doing a set of squats helps mitigate glute atrophy)
  • Periodically contract your glutes as a quick wake up when seated
  • Sit up straight with good posture
  • Stretch your hamstrings once per hour
  • Work standing when it’s practical 
• Take the stairs – one of the best and easiest ways to work your glutes is by climbing stairs whenever possible
• Walk as much as you can, and add an incline when it’s practical 
• Combine isolated glute exercises with multi-joint lower-body movements (squats, lunges, step-ups, etc.) to develop balanced size and strength
• Stretch your hip flexors and hip rotators every day
• Avoid sleeping in the fetal position – like slumped sitting, sleeping in the fetal position shortens hip flexor muscles while lengthening and weakening glute muscles  

These are obviously broad brush strokes in the effort to address a critically important muscle complex, but if you’d like a more detailed workout plan, please reach out to me directly.

Have a healthy day!