All about gluteal contracture: symptoms, causes and treatments

A gluteal contracture is a muscle condition corresponding to excessive tension in the gluteal muscles. It can cause stress, stiffness and sometimes very intense pain.

Find out everything you need to know about gluteal contracture, from its symptoms to its most common causes, as well as some effective treatment methods.

What is a gluteal contracture?

A contracture is a muscle condition characterised by involuntary, prolonged tension in a group of muscles. When it affects the buttocks, it is usually the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus muscles that are tense.

Although this condition poses no danger to health, a gluteal contracture can become very disabling. It can limit the patient’s movements because of the significant pain felt in the buttocks. Simple everyday actions, such as climbing stairs or walking, can become particularly difficult.

Unlike muscle soreness, which only lasts two to five days, muscle contractures last between five and ten days.

The main symptoms of a gluteal contracture

Symptoms of a gluteal contracture may include:

• More or less severe pain located in the buttocks, which can spread to the hips and the outer thighs,
• Difficulty walking, climbing stairs or performing movements that engage the glutes,
• Limitation in everyday activities and sport,
• Increased pain when touched,
• A hard muscle on palpation.

If the pain persists for more than ten days, it is recommended to see a doctor. They can identify the origin of the buttock pain and set up a suitable treatment plan.

What are the causes and risk factors of a gluteal contracture?

Several causes and risk factors can lead to a gluteal muscle contracture:

• An unhealthy lifestyle (diet, sleep, hydration, etc.),
• Lack of warm-up before intense physical exertion,
• Lack of stretching after intense physical exertion,
• Overuse of a fatigued muscle,
• Fatigue and stress,
• A wrong movement or a bad fall causing trauma,
• Etc.

Natural treatments to relieve a contracture of the gluteal muscles

A gluteal contracture heals spontaneously after a few days, without any specific medical treatment. However, it is useful to know certain natural treatments that help relieve the main symptoms of a gluteal contracture.

Rest

Rest is essential to effectively relieve the pain felt with a gluteal contracture. It is important to limit overly intense demands on the gluteal muscles as much as possible to give them time to recover.

Complete rest is not necessary, except in the most severe cases. If the pain allows, it is advisable to do some gentle, low-intensity physical activity. This releases endorphins and optimises blood circulation.

Applying heat and cold

Applying heat and cold to a muscle contracture of the glutes offers many benefits.

Heat reduces the pain felt thanks to a relaxing effect that loosens the muscle fibres. Heat is also beneficial for improving blood circulation. Better blood circulation helps eliminate the metabolic waste stored in tense muscles.

Cold, on the other hand, is ideal for quickly relieving sharp pain. The nerves are numbed instantly, which blocks the transmission of the pain message to the brain. Using cold is useful for the tendon part of the gluteus medius, but not at all for the gluteal mass as a whole.

Massage

In the case of a gluteal contracture, deep massage is ideal for releasing excessive tension by relaxing the muscles. Massage is also very beneficial for reducing stress and improving well-being.

Although it is preferable to be massaged by a professional, such as a physiotherapist, it is perfectly possible to ask a loved one for help.

One to two 15 to 20-minute massage sessions per day support the recovery process of the gluteal muscles.

Electrostimulation

Electrostimulation is a natural process used to trigger muscle contractions using low-intensity electrical impulses. These electrical currents are generated by a compact device and transmitted to the muscles via electrodes placed on the skin.

Electrostimulation of the buttocks offers many benefits for people with a gluteal contracture:

• Relief of the pain felt thanks to the production of endorphins and the blocking of pain signals to the brain,
• Gentle, controlled strengthening of the gluteal muscles,
• Improved range of motion,
• Improved blood circulation,
• Reduced muscle tension,
• Etc.

How to relieve gluteal contractures with Bluetens?

Bluetens offers an effective, modern and particularly easy-to-use electrotherapy solution. Thanks to a compact electrostimulation unit connected directly to a smartphone via Bluetooth, you can enjoy the benefits of electrostimulation from anywhere.

A wide range of electrostimulation programmes has been developed to meet the needs of each user. They are accessible via the app and can target almost every area of the body as well as certain specific conditions.

Here are two examples of Bluetens programmes you can use to relieve a gluteal contracture.

The “Contracture” programme

The “Contracture” programme has been specifically designed to reduce muscle tension. It also helps relieve “sciatica”-type pain. It is a one-week programme comprising 14 individual electrostimulation sessions.

To access it, simply open the Bluetens app on your smartphone and go to the “Generic treatment” section. Then select the body part “Buttocks” and choose the “Contracture” programme.

All instructions on electrode placement and the duration of each individual session are available in the app.

The “Sports massage” programme

The “Sports massage” programme is ideal for relieving muscle tension and pain in the case of a gluteal contracture. This 24-minute programme can be used up to three times a day.

To access it, go to the “Single session” section of the app. Then select the “Relax” mode and the body part “Buttocks”, and choose the “Sports massage” programme in the “Sports activities” section.

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