Have you ever experienced that sharp, shooting pain at the top of your buttock crack when trying to sit down? It can be incredibly uncomfortable and even frustrating, especially if it persists over time. Pain at top of buttock crack when sitting can make it difficult to sit, walk, or even perform simple, everyday tasks. But fear not, there are ways to alleviate the discomfort and improve your quality of life.
In this blog post, we will dive deep into the potential causes of this type of pain, from muscle tightness and imbalance to nerve compression. More importantly, we will explore a variety of massage, stretching, and strengthening exercises to help you tackle the problem head-on, focusing on the hip and buttock muscles to improve stability and reduce tension. So, whether you're an office worker struggling with a sedentary lifestyle or an athlete dealing with a sports injury, this post is for you. Let's get started!
Where Does Pain At Top Of Buttock Crack When Sitting Come From?
Pain at top of buttock crack when sitting can come from a variety of sources. One of the most common causes is muscle tightness and imbalance, where the hip and gluteal muscles become weak or stiff, leading to tension and discomfort.
The three most common hip/buttock muscles involved in pain at the top of the buttock crack include 1) Piriformis, 2) Gluteus Medius, and 3) Gluteus minimus.
Additionally, nerve compression can also cause pain at top of buttock crack when sitting. The sciatic nerve runs through the buttocks and down the legs. A common cause of sciatic nerve pain is piriformis syndrome.
If you experience pain at the top of your buttock crack when sitting, it is important to identify the underlying cause. In many cases, deep-tissue massage can be an effective method for relieving pain. Each muscle involved in buttock and lower back pain has a different function and trigger point. In order to effectively apply deep tissue massage you must learn how to release the muscle. Check out the tutorials on how you can release these 4 muscles:
Buttock/Low Back Pain Pattern [1]
How To Relieve The Muscle Pain At Top Af Buttock Crack When Sitting:
Understanding the process of relieving muscle pain at the top of the buttock crack is simple. It can be as easy as 1, 2, 3.
Relieve Muscle Pain At Top of Buttock Crack When Sitting Step 1 - Massage:
Deep tissue massage: The first and most important step in this process is breaking down the tight nagging muscle knots that are causing you pain. Finding the affected tissue will make this process much more productive in relieving pain at top of the buttock crack when sitting as well as lower back pain. A well-executed deep-tissue massage can help break up years of tension and relieve pain.
If you suffer from lower back pain or pain at top of the buttock crack and feel stiff, have trouble twisting, sitting comfortably, bending, standing up, and generally feel immobile because of it, muscle pain is very likely to blame. While the pain may feel severe, simple procedures such as deep-tissue muscle massage can help alleviate pain, reduce stress and improve flexibility and speed up recovery.
Two popular deep-tissue massage tools for relieving pain at top of buttock crack when sitting are the hip hook and QL Claw. Both offer similar benefits but are different in shape, price, and versatility.
Relieve Muscle Pain At Top of Buttock Crack When Sitting Step 2 - Stretch:
The next step is stretching, and it is very effective when done correctly. After you release tension with step 1, it is important to build mobility in your muscles. Being able to pinpoint your muscle pain will make this step much more constructive. Check out the visuals below on some awesome glute stretches that helped me and many others reduce pain at top of buttock crack when sitting and free up mobility in the glutes.
Relieve Muscle Pain At Top Of Buttock Crack When Sitting Step 3 - Strengthening:
If you're experiencing pain at top of your buttock crack when sitting, strengthening exercises can help to alleviate the discomfort. The hip and buttock muscles play a crucial role in stabilizing the pelvis and supporting the lower back, and strengthening these muscles can improve your posture and reduce pain.
Regardless of where you are at in your physical therapy journey, below is a video on glute activation exercises (beginner to advanced). These are the exact exercises that helped me and many others reduce pain in our lower back/hips and build bulletproof glutes. Try them out for yourself and let me know what you think in the comments!
Pain At Top Of Buttock Crack When Sitting - Take Aways:
Pain at the top of the buttock crack when sitting can be a frustrating condition. Fortunately, it does not have to be a permanent fixture in your life. The steps of massage, stretching, and strengthening can help you find relief from pain. Use the resources on this page to own your pain at top of buttock crack when sitting for good!
[1] Donnelly, Joseph M. Travell, Simons & Simons Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: the Trigger Point Manual. 3rd ed., Wolters Kluwer Health, 2019.
[2] Davies, Clair, and Amber Davies. The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief. 3rd ed., New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 2013.