4 Potential Health Benefits of Strong Glute Muscles

Orthopedic surgeons spend a lot of time treating the consequences of poor movement patterns, which include conditions such as arthritis, tendon injuries, back pain, and fractures after falls, says Robert Volk, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon for the Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics in Columbia, Maryland.

“Strong glutes don’t eliminate those risks, but they improve the mechanics that protect the body every day,” Dr. Volk says. “They’re one of the best investments people can make in their long-term mobility, independence, and overall health.”

Here’s a closer look at four ways strong glutes support longevity.

1. May Reduce Lower Back Pain

Strengthening your glutes can protect your lower back.

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 “When the glutes are weak or inhibited, the body compensates by overusing the lower back and hamstrings to handle hip extension, creating excessive stress on the spine,” says Tony Ambler-Wright, CSCS, a master instructor at the National Academy of Sports Medicine and a certified strength and conditioning specialist based in Phoenix.

Restoring proper glute function helps relieve the strain that leads to chronic back pain, so you can move through life with a stable, well-protected spine, he adds.

This matters because back pain carries real long-term risks that can impact longevity. One review found that back pain was associated with a modest increase in overall mortality among women and those who have more severe back pain. (The authors note that more research is needed to clarify why women appear to have greater mortality.)

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“People who have chronic back pain tend to become less active,” Volk explains. “That decline in activity contributes to weight gain, loss of muscle mass, poorer cardiovascular fitness, and ultimately loss of independence.”

Maintaining movement is one of the most powerful things to support long-term health, Volk adds.

2. May Lower the Risk of Falls

A study of older adults found that stronger hip abductors — the glutes that move your leg out to the side — were linked to a significantly lower likelihood of falling within a year. Knee and ankle strength didn’t show the same protective link.

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This is a significant concern given that falls are the leading cause of injury-related death for adults ages 65 and older.

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And even when they aren’t directly fatal, falls can still impact longevity. “Falls become increasingly dangerous with age,” Volk says. “A hip fracture or other serious fall-related injury can dramatically change someone’s quality of life, often leading to hospitalization, surgery, prolonged rehabilitation, and loss of independence.”

3. May Protect Joint Health

Weak glutes let the thigh bone rotate inward, collapsing the knee and driving knee pain, Amber-Wright says.

That inward rotation is normally controlled by the gluteus medius during walking and running. When it isn’t, the hip-knee dysfunction can result in iliotibial (IT) band syndrome — pain on the outside of the knee caused by irritation of the IT band, the thick strip of tissue running along the outer thigh from hip to knee. Research suggests that strengthening the gluteus medius can help prevent and correct this issue.

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Joint pain is more than a comfort issue: One meta-analysis found that knee pain related to osteoarthritis (a wear-and-tear joint condition) was associated with a 35 percent increased risk of early death. The authors note that decreased activity due to pain may be one explanation. But the exact mechanisms are not yet fully understood.

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“By keeping the glutes strong, you maintain proper tracking of the knee over the toes,” Ambler-Wright says. “This alignment preserves joint health, ensuring that your knees and hips function without unnecessary wear for decades to come.”

While glute weakness alone doesn’t cause arthritis, restoring hip strength is an important part of reducing joint stress and helping manage symptoms of degenerative joint disease, Volk adds.

4. May Improve Metabolic Health

The glutes are among the largest muscles in the body, and increasing their mass can improve metabolic health.

“When you increase muscle mass through strength training, you improve insulin sensitivity and your body’s ability to use glucose efficiently,” Volk says. That’s one reason resistance exercise is consistently associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome (a cluster of conditions that raise the risk of heart disease), he adds.

This connection plays out in long-term health outcomes, too. A study involving more than 12,000 people found that having poor metabolic health in midlife — issues like high blood pressure, high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), or unhealthy cholesterol — raised the risk of death by 31 percent. Having obesity pushed that risk even higher.

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