5 Ways to Fix Your Pain in the Butt

With contributions from Lynne Olsen for Yoga Magazine.

As much as I’d like to say that this article will solve all of life’s “pains in the backside,” it won’t. But if you experience nagging discomfort right under your buttock, pain on the side of your hip, or central glute pain, definitely keep reading.

Backside pain can be caused by a myriad of factors. Some pain can be resolved with gentle stretching and other pain might be exacerbated by stretching. Knowing the difference is important so that you know what to do and what to avoid. Backside pain can be caused by a myriad of factors. Some pain can be resolved with gentle stretching and other pain might be exacerbated by stretching. Knowing the difference is important so that you know what to do and what to avoid.

Let’s start by looking at the various types of butt pain, their possible causes, and then methods for alleviating or even eliminating your pain in the bum all together!

“Yoga Butt.” Your hamstrings are a group of muscles on the back of your thigh that run from the bottom of your pelvis at your sitting bones to just below your knee. They attach to your bones via tendons. When the hamstrings contract, they bring your heel toward your hip like you might do with your lifted leg in Natarajasana (Dancer’s pose). Conversely, you stretch these muscles in forward folds like Parsvottanasana (Pyramid pose). Most yoga classes incorporate a lot of forward folds.

Pain right under the crease of your buttock where your thigh meets your glutes, can be tender to the touch, hurts when you’re sitting on a hard chair, and can be aggravated when you walk. Often called, “Yoga Butt,” this type of pain is caused when we overstretch or compress the tendon that attaches your hamstrings to your sitting bones.

1. Rest

Overzealous yogis who push too far in forward folds, fold too often, or who practice without an adequate warm up are especially prone to this pain in the rear. With this type of overuse injury, rest is your best bet. Tendons receive less blood flow than muscles and therefore take a bit longer to heal. Depending on the severity of the injury, it can take several months for tendons to heal. In the meantime, improve strength and blood flow with some gentle ham- string exercises like bridge pose hip lifts. You can increase the challenge by isometrically pulling your heels toward your shoulders or by elevating your feet on yoga blocks.

2. Avoid Deep Hamstring Stretches

Return to your practice slowly and when you do, bend your knees generously in forward folds. If you feel that telltale tug right under your glute, back off! Consider this an awesome time to practice Ahimsa (non-violence) Bramacharia (self-restraint), and restorative yoga.

Trigger Points in Cranky Tissues

Lateral bum pain is pain on the sides of your hips. Two of the muscles here are the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. These muscles are responsible for maintaining lateral stability of your pelvis as you move through your gait cycle. In other words, as you walk or run, these muscles are tasked with preventing too much sideways sway.

3. Strengthen Your Hip Muscles

Lack of lateral stability can make these muscles cranky and can also contribute to low back pain including sacroiliac (SI) joint pain. More on that to come. For lateral hip pain, try targeted strengthening of the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus.

You can strengthen these muscles with two distinct groups of exercises. The first is to use your muscles in a stabilizing capacity. Set a yoga block on the floor on its lowest height and stand on it with one leg. You can use a wall for support if you like. Ensure that your pelvis is level by bringing your hands to your frontal hip points and feeling that they are even With one foot on the block, you’ll have to work to keep your pelvis level. Challenge your stabilizing muscles by swinging your other leg back and forth for :20-:30. If you stand on your right leg, you should feel the muscles on the side of your right hip The second way to strengthen these muscles is with exercises like a kneeling version of Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon). From a quadruped or kneeling position, slide your left leg back and rotate your torso to face the left. Your right hip should be over your right knee.

Your right shoulder should be over your right wrist. Swing your right foot behind you for a wide base of support. From there, challenge your glute medius and minimus by lifting your left leg parallel to the floor. Aim to hold :20 seconds. For extra challenge, pulse your lifted leg up and down 10-15x.

Lack of sufficient stability in the pelvis can also lead to sacroiliac pain. The sacrum is a triangular shaped bone that sits in the slot between your two hip bones, or illia. The sacroiliac or SI joints are the places where your sacrum meets your illia. Naturally, there is about 2 degrees of movement between the sacrum and the ilium. Sometimes, there’s too much and sometimes there’s not enough.

Occasionally the sacrum and the ilium don’t line up as they’re intended and they become stuck out of alignment, causing pain. SI joint pain often starts as a pinchy feeling but can become dull and is usually felt more on one side than the other. This condition can also cause referred pain into the buttock, legs and low back. Sacroiliac pain can be difficult to diagnose and, like other backside pain, might require guidance from a doctor or physiotherapist.

Bullseye of the Butt Cheek

One of the most insidious types of pain in the rear is sciatic pain. Sciatic pain, or sciatica, is often described as dull, sharp, burning, or tingling pain that starts at the butt and radiates down the leg. It might go as far down as the foot and can be accompanied by weakness and/or numbness.

The sciatic nerve is the biggest and longest nerve of the body. It runs from between the vertebrae in your low back, across the back of your pelvis, and all the way down your leg where it branches out to become other nerves.

The piriformis muscle lives deep in the bullseye of your butt cheeks. The sciatic nerve runs either behind or through your piriformis muscle. At this intersection, if the piriformis muscle is tight, it can compress the sciatic nerve and cause pain. Since the piriformis is the culprit here, this is often referred to as Piriformis Syndrome.

4. Gentle Stretching and Pose Modification

This type of pain can be resolved with gentle stretching. Remember, however, that stretching creates tissue tension. For sciatic relief, we are trying to alleviate tension in the piriformis. So be gentle with your stretches. Instead of pigeon pose, you might try a light figure 4 stretch with a little rocking movement side-to-side.

5. Myofascial Release (MFR)

Myofascial release using a soft foam roller can also be helpful. Begin by sitting on your foam roller or myofascial release ball. Tilt onto the buttock of the affected side and start to roll up and down. Keep the movement small. Avoid your bones and stay on the meaty areas. You can also rock side-to-side gently. When foam rolling, it’s crucial to be gentle. The aim is to increase circulation and tissue glide, not to “break up” scar tissue. It cannot be overstated; go slowly and gently.

It’s important to note that sciatic pain can also be caused by disc malalignment in the low back. A “slipped” or herniated disc can com- press the sciatic nerve. This type of pain is usually described as radiating, burning, or hot. If this describes your pain, or if MFR and gentle stretching don’t help, consider seeking the help of a doctor or physiotherapist. An injury to the low back can also cause referral pain that resembles a lot of other types of backside pain.

These are just a few of the more common causes of buttock pain. While several types of buttock pain can be resolved with rest and home exercises, other types of pain should be treated by a physician or physiotherapist. If self-care measures do not work or your pain radiates, causes numbness or weakness, consider calling a doctor. Otherwise, give the exercises a try and fix your pain in the backside.