Trigger points in the glutes are one of the most common — and missed — sources of chronic pain.
You may feel it in your butt, hips, lower back, hamstrings, or even down the leg, but the root cause might be in your glutes somewhere!
In this guide, I’m going over the muscles and how to find trigger points to treat with trigger point therapy and stretching!
Check it out!
A Quick Glute Anatomy Overview
Trigger point therapy and foam rolling rely on you knowing the direction that the muscle is flowing in.
That’s why it helps to understand the structure of the glutes:
- Gluteus Maximus: The large, superficial muscle that forms most of your buttock. Primary role: hip extension and power.
- Gluteus Medius: Located underneath the maximus, more on the side of the hip. Primary role: hip abduction and pelvic stability during walking or standing on one leg.
- Gluteus Minimus: Deepest glute muscle, tucked under the medius. Primary role: hip abduction and stabilization.
Pay attention to the lines that show the direction of the muscle. When rolling or trigger pointing, it helps to roll along the muscle fibers or across them.
Gluteus Maximus Trigger Points
Location: Mid-buttock, along the sacrum and near the tailbone.
Watch the video below to see how I target the glute Maximus for trigger points.
Gluteus Medius Trigger Points
Location: Just below the iliac crest, along the outer edge of the pelvis.
If you feel pain in any of these areas, the glute medius may be to blame.
- Pain in the upper buttock or sacrum
- Outer hip pain, especially when sleeping on that side
- Discomfort that mimics SI joint or low back issues
Common Triggers:
- Overuse in runners or walkers
- Weakness leading to compensatory tightness
- Poor posture or leg length discrepancies
How to Release:
Lie on your side and use a lacrosse ball under the upper glute. You’ll find the tender spots just behind and below the hip bone.
For a full breakdown, see Gluteus Medius Trigger Points.
Gluteus Minimus Trigger Points
Location: Deep inside the glute, under the medius and maximus.
How to Release:
This one’s deep — you may need to use a massage gun or lay on a firm ball to access it.
I like to treat it similar to the glute maximus, but instead of moving from the inside to the outside, I travel more vertically to target the minimus. Look for it on the right side of the image attached to see how it runs!
For a general rule of thumb, apply pressure just behind the top of the femur and hold steady when you find a hotspot.
My full guide on Trigger Point Therapy for Glute Pain walks you through it with detail!
When One Glute Trigger Point Hides Another
It’s important to understand that the glute muscles don’t work alone. They operate in a system — and when one is overloaded or shut down, another often compensates.
This means:
- You might release a gluteus medius knot only to feel pain shift to the minimus.
- You might address the glute max and still have lingering leg symptoms from a hidden minimus knot.
- Or you might overlook a deeper cause and mistakenly treat your hamstrings or lower back.
Always take time to assess all three glute muscles if your symptoms persist. Referred pain can be sneaky.
A Layered Approach to Glute Trigger Point Release
To get the best results, treat your glutes with this strategy:
- Warm up with light exercise if possible.
- Identify specific trigger points using a lacrosse ball or massage tool.
- Hold pressure on each spot for 30–60 seconds.
- Stretch the area afterward (e.g., deep lunge stretch or pigeon pose).
- Strengthen the surrounding muscles to prevent recurrence.
Don’t Let Glute Pain Fool You
What feels like hamstring tightness, lower back pain, or leg fatigue might actually be a trigger point in the glutes. These hidden knots can send pain far from the actual source.
With the right tools, such as a lacrosse ball or massage gun, and some know-how, you can locate and treat the root of the problem.
The best part? You can do it all at home.
Ready to take the next step? Visit Fix Your Glutes for more treatment strategies and recovery guidance.
Please put your questions below.
Good luck!
-Nick