You've Been Overlooking the Power of Your Butt

Turns out the muscle you sit on may be your best bet for staying on your feet as you age. In the New York Times, Hilary Achauer reports that the gluteal muscles—long treated as an aesthetic obsession—are emerging as a quiet driver of longevity and independence, key to balance and fall prevention. Physical therapists and gerontology experts say strong glutes steady the pelvis, protect the knees and lower back, and act as shock absorbers every time you walk, climb stairs, or stand up. "If your butt's not doing its job, your knee collapses inward. So your hip will internally rotate, and that motion creates a lot of problems," Christopher Powers, co-director of the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Laboratory at USC, told Super Age in a January report.

Underperforming glutes can trigger pain in various lower-body joints, often concealing the true problem. Achauer notes weakness in the glutes shows up in how you move: a side-to-side hip sway, relying on your arms or a railing to get out of a chair or up steps, tight hamstrings doing more than their share, even lower-back or heel pain. The piece walks through how long hours of sitting can lead to "dead butt syndrome," making glute-focused exercise important; why older adults especially need lower-body strength; and which exercises most effectively recruit the glutes in real-world movement—think bridges, squats, step-ups, and even simple leg lifts. For the full rundown on how your butt factors into healthy aging, read Achauer's full piece here.