- The gluteal / buttocks muscles are involved in practically all basic movements, such as walking, squatting, pushing, and running.
- Buttock problems and symptoms are usually related to other functional disorders of the lower back, pelvis, and lower limbs because these are part of the kinetic chain of the lower extremity.
- Referred pain from the buttocks is most commonly felt in the back of the thigh, side of the thigh, and calf.
Gluteal / buttock muscles and their function
The buttocks area has several layers of muscles whose main function is to support the pelvis during movement and to guide and move the hip joint, especially in extension, abduction, and internal and external rotation.
The largest and most superficial muscles of the buttocks are the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. Underneath the major gluteal muscles are several layers of smaller gluteal muscles, which can also cause local pain and various radiating symptoms. The best known of the deep gluteal muscles is the piriformis muscle, whose various functional disorders known as piriformis syndrome.
The glutes are a very important part of the movement chain from the lower back to the soles of the feet, and they are activated in virtually all basic movements, such as walking, squatting, correcting posture, running, and jumping. Symptoms in the gluteal muscles may be the result of various recurrent or prolonged functional disorders in the lower back, hip, and pelvic area, or they may be the cause of such disorders.
Gluteal pain and other symptoms
Symptoms may include pain, aching, stiffness, tension, referred pain, cramping, predisposition to injury, reduced muscle endurance, control, and strength. The gluteal muscles can also cause referred pain down to the foot. Symptoms usually increase when weight is placed on the same side of the body. Classic functional disorders associated with weak and insufficiently activated gluteal muscles include excessive inward rotation of the knee during squatting and dropping of the other side of the pelvis when standing on one leg.
Causes of persisten buttock pain and other symptoms
Prolonged symptoms are usually caused by a combination of several factors rather than just one of the factors listed below.
- Most commonly, prolonged buttock pain is associated with dysfunction of the joints in the area, such as the facet joints of the lower back, SI joints, groin, and/or hip joints.
- Other common causes of persistent symptoms in the buttocks area include slow activation of appropriate muscles, weakened muscle strength and endurance or imbalance/asymmetry, connective tissue stiffness, and various hip wear changes and/or bursitis.
- Functional disorders in the pelvis, hip, knee, ankle, and foot areas that affect the movement of the buttocks.
- Excessive or insufficient physiological stress.
- Psychological factors, such as anxiety, depression, and/or excessive mental strain.
- Lifestyle factors, such as overly repetitive and insufficient exercise and/or inadequate or poor-quality sleep.
- Central nervous system sensitization of the pain system.
Treatment and rehabilitation
Treatment usually includes:
- Manual therapy to treat joint, muscle, and fascia dysfunctions.
- Neurological rehabilitation to address individual neurological deficits.
- Individual exercises to improve posture and movement.
- Acupuncture to treat pain and pain sensitization.
- Lifestyle guidance to improve exercise, sleep, rest, and eating habits.
Read more about related pain syndromes:
Low back intervertebral disc problems
Hip flexor pain (Psoas syndrome)
Viimeksi päivitetty 13.10.2025
