Wondering Where Your Butt Went?

We have talked about bodies and how they change after surgery, but after 8 years of seeing thousands of patients, here’s the one I think matters the most: 

The disappearing butt. 

If you had abdominal surgery and you feel like your butt is just disappearing, it’s more important than vanity.

Losing muscle mass and strength in your glutes is a sign that your pelvic floor + core are unhappy. You’re at an increased risk of hernias, incontinence, and back pain.

Left unchecked, you’re also at an increased risk of falls and fractures as you age (look up “type 2 muscle fiber atrophy + osteoporosis).

So why does surgery cause us to lose our glutes?

• Weakened abs change your posture, making you clench your glutes all the time. Clenched muscles = weak muscles.

• Conditions that cause chronic bloating and/or masses in the pelvis can shift your center of mass forward, causing posture changes similar to what happens in pregnancy (this stuff even happens to men with big bellies!).

This sucks, right? Yes. But you can fix it! Here’s what to do:

• Rebuild your glutes. Start working out and training your glutes. Repeat forever. Or a lifetime.

• Eat enough protein. If you aren’t eating enough, your body cannot support muscle mass.

• Check your posture. Are you constantly clenching your butt cheeks? Catch yourself leaning against the kitchen counter instead of holding yourself up? Stick your stomach out + put your hands on your hips to stand comfortably? These are all clues that your muscle endurance needs work.

• Don’t skip power training. Our glutes are a powerhouse of Type 2 muscle fibers, the kind we lose fastest as we age, increasing our risk for falls. If you’re not jumping, climbing stairs, and doing exercises that require quick movement, you’re aging faster than you have to.

You can schedule a free discovery call here. We’ll talk about your story and goals to figure out if working together is a good fit for you.