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'Dormant Butt Syndrome' Can Be A Pain In The Knee, Hip And Back

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Every Wednesday here at WEEKEND EDITION, we have an editorial meeting. And our staff pitches a bunch of ideas for the show. Some of the ideas make it. And some of them do not. This week, our senior editor Jordana Hochman found a story that did not quite survive the pitch meeting. But she's here nevertheless to share her dead pitch with us now. Hi, Jordana.

JORDANA HOCHMAN, BYLINE: Hi, Rachel.

MARTIN: What's your pitch?

HOCHMAN: So I was going through my emails this week. And then I stopped when I found this subject line - dormant butt syndrome - it's a real thing.

MARTIN: (Laughter) Dormant butt syndrome - what does that mean?

HOCHMAN: So I talked to this guy.

CHRIS KOLBA: Chris Kolba - I'm a sports medicine physical therapist for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

HOCHMAN: So he admitted that it's a joking name that he's given to this condition. But he's - this is what he had to say.

KOLBA: Basically, the gluteus maximus muscle isn't working as efficiently as it should. It's caused from prolonged sitting or even in athletes from repetitive activity.

MARTIN: Does that mean, like, when your bum falls asleep?

HOCHMAN: I think it's more that if your butt isn't strong enough, you're going to get back pain, knee pain, hip pain.

MARTIN: Is there anything we can do to prevent dormant butt syndrome?

HOCHMAN: If you're sitting at your desk a lot all day, make sure to get up, walk around. Do some lunges and squats. And so imagine me doing that in the office.

(LAUGHTER)

MARTIN: Anything else surprising you learned through your very extensive research on the issue?

HOCHMAN: So I forwarded the pitch around to the staff. And then one of my colleagues shared an amazement email pitch she had once received. And the title there was - do you look mean and angry? How to reverse [expletive] resting face.

MARTIN: Whoa.

HOCHMAN: But we'll deal with that next time.

MARTIN: OK, the next dead pitch. That's very. WEEKEND EDITION's senior editor Jordana Hochman, thank you so much for helping me understand dormant butt syndrome.

HOCHMAN: Thanks, Rachel.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MARTIN: This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. BJ Leiderman writes our theme. I'm Rachel Martin. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.