What is ‘office chair butt’? TikTok’s viral term for a real health problem

Rather than the Sunday scaries or toxic bosses, employees have unlocked a new workplace fear: office chair butt.

While not a new concern, the term has resurfaced on TikTok to describe how sitting for long stretches affects the look of your behind—what medical professionals call atrophy of your gluteal muscle group.

“A lack of conditioning in your gluteus maximus and surrounding tissue leads to weakness, making it build up fat tissue and appear flatter or saggy,” occupational therapist Michael Milicia told the Cleveland Clinic.

And it’s not just an aesthetic issue. Other symptoms of “office chair butt” can include poor posture, lower back pain, and limited mobility over time. There’s a reason researchers have dubbed sitting “the new smoking,” linking chronic sitting to serious health problems including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, depression, and anxiety.

Now, the term has gone viral on TikTok. And they’re not taking it sitting down.

“I refuse to be a victim,” posted one TikTok user, showing the routine of squats, lunges, and standing leg lifts she performs at her desk. “I don’t think you’re in danger,” one person commented.

“No office chair butt for us,” another user posted, leading her coworkers through a series of exercises. The video quickly inspired others: “Just saw this while at work and immediately put my desk to standing,” read one comment.

Since most workplaces don’t come with a fully equipped gym, employees have gotten creative. Some use the office escalator as a makeshift StairMaster. One video shows an employee swapping out traditional weights for a water cooler while performing Bulgarian split squats. “Me every 30 minutes when I find out what office chair butt is,” another TikTok user wrote, running up and down stairs and doing laps around a conference room.

If you’re reading this: Give me 10 squats. Stat.