help me not pull my gluteus maximus

September 4, 2007 3:01 PM

Ugh. How do I *not* pull my "butt" muscle? My butt muscle seems to cramp up fairly easily, sometimes when...uh...engaged in "lovin'" with my wife, sometimes in non-compromising positions. If I'm "cupping" my own butt, it would be the muscle where my pinkie or 4th finger is pointing...more or less. Looking at the picture on the Wikipedia entry, I would guess it'd be my Gluteus Medius...maybe. When the muscle cramps up, it's *really* painful, and I can't move *at all* for about 5-10 mins. It still hurts maybe 15-20 mins later. I'm in my 30's, skinny, and probably not in the greatest shape. Are there any exercises or stretches or something I can do to prevent/minimize this?
posted by anonymous to health (17 comments total)

Drink more water.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 3:09 PM on September 4, 2007 [1 favorite]

I used to get leg cramps in my sleep all the time, but I added a lot more potassium to my diet and now it never happens. I eat bananas, but I'm sure there are supplements out there in case you're devoted to a junk food lifestyle.
posted by Riki tiki at 3:49 PM on September 4, 2007 [1 favorite]

If you're getting cramp a lot, drinking an isotonic drink and/or eating a banana will help.

There are some stretches here to try if you think that will help.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:55 PM on September 4, 2007

I came in here to recommend potassium - my calf cramps have gone away since I started taking supplements.
posted by rhapsodie at 3:55 PM on September 4, 2007

Thirding the potassium/bananas.
posted by suedehead at 3:57 PM on September 4, 2007

Ha! My SO and I have a very similar problem (he's also very thin), and remarked recently that we need to warm up before we "warm up." Makes ya feel pretty old. I think that just a general stretching routine as if you were preparing to go running will help some. And the water/potassium suggestions. Good luck. Oh, and try not to be too mad if she has trouble not laughing at ya ;).
posted by thebrokedown at 3:58 PM on September 4, 2007

I'd web-search about for stretches of the gluteus muscles, as well as the hip flexors and piriformis muscle. Here are a few: http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/stretch.html

I wouldn't rule out a pinched nerve/sciatica type problem, either, if the above suggestions (diet + exercise) dont improve things. They can be mistaken for muscle strains by some.

just based on personal info searches on the matter, am not a dr, etc...
posted by NikitaNikita at 4:20 PM on September 4, 2007

Fourthing water/bananas
posted by Avenger at 4:22 PM on September 4, 2007 [1 favorite]

The most reliable way to prevent cramping of a muscle is to improve its strength and endurance. The benefits of potassium, bananas or water have been shown to be insignificantly different from placebos.
posted by randomstriker at 6:06 PM on September 4, 2007

Fifthing water and bananas.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:14 PM on September 4, 2007

randomstriker- Benefits of water insignificantly different than placebos? Really? Can you elaborate?
posted by kuujjuarapik at 7:01 PM on September 4, 2007

You might try a change in positioning.

I suspect that you are experiencing a cramp in your medial hamstrings. (If, when you say you are "cupping" your own butt, you are cupping it rather low. Gluteus medius is more lateral, so I'm not sure if you're talking about that one -- when you are cupping your butt, your pinky wouldn't be touching there.)

When a muscle crosses two joints, as your hamstrings do, it is much more likely to cramp when it's being shortened across both joints. This is due to the fact that the muscle is "actively insufficient" -- being shortened to its limit across both joints.

You can try this to see if what you are experiencing is active insufficiency: while you're standing up, stretch your leg out behind you. Now bend your knee. If it cramps up while you bend your knee, you might be experiencing this.

If this is the case, then you can prevent this by not bending your knees while your hips are extended, particularly while you're "lovin'." Best of luck.
posted by jennyjenny at 7:47 PM on September 4, 2007

Another vote for water and bananas. Potatoes are another great source of potassium that might help, if you prefer.

If you're in the midst of the cramp, the best thing (from my experience, anyway) is to stretch it. Yeah, stretching is good beforehand and afterward to help prevent cramps, but it's also the key to getting them to abate as they're happening. Most people's instinct is to move in the direction of the cramp, but this really just lets your muscle tighten further. Instead, you want to stretch it back out in the opposite direction that it's trying to cramp. It'll hurt like the dickens for a couple seconds, so take it slow and take long, deep breaths. You might need to use your arms or gravity or whatever to pull yourself into a stretching position, as your cramping muscles might be too tight to allow you to move into the stretch.

If you study the links already given and know what position gives you the best stretch ahead of time, you can usually stop a cramp at the first hint that it's developing by stretching the muscle. Depending on the stretching position, you might even be able to keep on "lovin'" during your stretch, as the cramp quickly melts away. Good luck!
posted by vytae at 8:25 PM on September 4, 2007

Whenever I get a cramp I immediately start massaging it, to work it out. (I imagine this might not be such a great idea in public.)

To stretch the Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus you might want to try the stretches listed on the right side of this page. (Links go to exrx.net, with clearer diagrams than wikipedia.)
posted by philomathoholic at 11:58 PM on September 4, 2007

Anyone have specific brand potassium supplements to recommend?
posted by felix at 9:44 AM on September 5, 2007

I would recommend using one of those foam rollers to work the cramp out. Just literally lie on it with your butt on the roller and roll up and down until the cramp feels better.
posted by chickaboo at 10:20 AM on September 5, 2007

I have problems with leg cramps and am allergic to bananas. I got some of the over the counter potassium supplements but you have to take three or four to equal what you get in a banana. V-8 saved me. I was amazed to find that it has some where in the neighborhood of 700mg of potassium, twice what is in a typical banana.
posted by Carbolic at 10:52 AM on September 5, 2007