The new worst thing about having a 9-to-5 desk job? It isn’t the long hours or being stuck inside all day. Apparently, it’s something called “office chair butt.” This term, currently going viral on TikTok, refers to the long, flat, chair-shaped booty you might develop if you sit all day for work.
It’s said that “office chair butt” is the side effect of putting pressure on your glutes as you sit for long periods. In a clip with nearly 200,000 likes, creator @haliijama said, “Doing glutes at the gym just to find out about office chair butt. Soooo, sitting eight hours a day is reversing it?”
Meanwhile, creator @hopinhope said, “Brb, just found out about office chair butt and I’m not willing to fall victim,” as she got up from her desk to do lunges around her cubicle. Others have noticed their butt does, in fact, look kind of flat, and many are even jokingly hovering above their chair as they type as a way to prevent it.
While there’s nothing wrong with having a square booty, many people are looking for ways to add a little more activity into their day, including glute-strengthening exercises they can easily do between meetings. Here, a trainer weighs in.
What Is “Office Chair Butt”?
According to Lara Heimann, DPT, a physical therapist and founder of LYT Yoga, “office chair butt is a playful term describing the weakening and flattening of the gluteal muscles — primarily the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus — due to prolonged sitting.”
If you’re sedentary for long stretches every day, you might notice that your butt feels less firm, toned, or that it appears to flatten out like a pancake. Other symptoms include decreased muscle strength and endurance in the hips and glutes, poor posture, lower back discomfort, and even hip or knee pain.
While you may have heard of “dead butt syndrome,” which can lead to numbness and pain in your cheeks after sitting, office chair butt is more about muscle atrophy, weakness, and lack of tone. The side effects can kick in if you sit a lot for work without getting up for breaks, and if you forget to do glute workouts.
Why You Should Care
Office chair butt isn’t just about preventing a square bum — though that is the main concern for many people on Tiktok — but more about the way weak glute muscles can throw your whole body out of whack.
“Strong glutes are essential for overall health and function,” says Heimann. “They stabilize the pelvis, support lower back health, contribute to efficient movement patterns — like walking, running, jumping — and reduce injury risk in hips, knees, and spine.”
Weak glutes can also cause your body to overcompensate by relying on other muscle groups, like the ones in the lower back and pelvis, and that can lead to pain, stiffness, and mobility issues that often seem completely unrelated. As Heimann says, “Strengthening the glutes is a must!”
How To Prevent “Office Chair Butt”
Worried about having a square booty? Heimenn recommends changing positions throughout the day to prevent a flat, weak butt.
“Not everyone can alter their desk setup, but standing and squatting breaks are essential for prevention,” she says. “Aim to stand up and move for at least two to three minutes every 30 to 45 minutes of sitting to stimulate blood flow, reduce stiffness, and prevent muscle inhibition.” If you need motivation, drink a lot of water so you have to get up to pee.
There are also some exercises you can do a few times a week. Here, certified personal trainer Amanda Dvorak, ISSA-CPT, ISSA-CNC, shares a few moves.
Glute Bridges
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Drive through your heels to lift your hips toward the ceiling.
- Keep your upper body on the floor.
- Squeeze your glutes and keep your abs tight to prevent your back from overextending.
- Hold at the top for a second or two, then lower.
- Do 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Lunges
- Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart.
- Step forward with one of your legs and, bending both knees at the same time, lower until your back knee gently just touches the floor.
- Push through the heel of your front foot to return to the starting position.
- Repeat on the opposite leg.
- Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side.
Squats
- Stand with your feet hip- to shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your chest up and your weight in the center of your feet.
- Push your hips back as if you’re sitting in a chair.
- Squat until you reach a depth that’s comfortable for you, ideally until your thighs are about parallel to the floor.
- With your heels still on the floor, push through your whole foot to return to standing.
- Do 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.
Sources:
Lara Heimann, DPT, physical therapist, founder of LYT Yoga
Amanda Dvorak, ISSA-CPT, ISSA-CNC, certified personal trainer with Garage Gym Reviews
