Gluteal deactivation can happen, says Golf Digest fitness advisor Ralph Simpson (@ralphsimpsonpt). Subtle inhibition of the muscles' function is common, but true neurological deactivation is almost always associated with "some sort of nerve problem," he says. If it's both sides of the body, then the cause would be centrally located such as central spinal stenosis. When that occurs, the condition is so severe, the person suffering from it has trouble walking, much less swinging a golf club. Stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal column to the point where pressure is put on nerves often causing extreme pain and muscle weakness.