'My glutes have amnesia': YouTuber with 2.2 million subscribers halts broadcasts over little-known condition

Ujuhama, a popular gaming YouTuber with 2.2 million subscribers, has announced a broadcasting hiatus due to a condition with an unusual name. The ailment he cited — "gluteal amnesia" — is a musculoskeletal disorder that commonly affects people who spend most of their day sitting, yet is easy to overlook.

Ujuhama recently said on his YouTube channel that he "has gluteal amnesia, with compressed nerves and severe pain that make it impossible to sit down," adding that "recovery will take a little more time, but things are gradually improving."

People who sit for long periods and get little physical activity are at risk of developing gluteal amnesia.

The condition — also known as "dead butt syndrome," "gluteal inhibition syndrome," or "gluteus maximus and hamstring dysregulation" — occurs when the gluteus maximus fails to function properly, forcing other muscles, including the hamstrings, to overcompensate. The resulting muscle imbalance leads to pain.

The gluteus maximus connects the upper and lower body and supports the spine and pelvis. Nearly every movement — walking, running, sitting and standing — involves the glutes. When this muscle weakens, it can lead to disc problems, hip impingement syndrome and arthritis.

Signs of reduced gluteal function include an inability to engage the glutes when lifting the legs while lying face down, or feeling tension only in the lower back — not the glutes — when leaning the upper body backward. Asymmetry between the left and right buttocks, or an unusually soft feel to the area, also warrants attention.

Singer Sunday, a former member of the group Chakra, has also spoken about experiencing gait imbalance and pain from the same condition.

Prevention and treatment require exercises that reawaken the dormant glutes and restore their proper function. The bridge — lying on the floor and lifting the pelvis — directly stimulates the gluteal muscles, while adding squats and hip abduction exercises can further strengthen the hip joints and pelvis for greater stability.