What is Piriformis Syndrome?

piriformis   syndrome If you are experiencing hip, buttock, hamstring or sciatic pain then you may be suffering  Piriformis Syndrome. Piriformis syndrome is a disorder that occurs when your sciatic nerve is compressed and/or irritated by the piriformis muscle as it passes deeply through your buttock, resulting in pain. Sometimes the condition is called ‘pseudo sciatica’, as it is often confused with pain in the nerve resulting from a low back disc bulge.Your diagnosis of piriformis syndrome should be made after a spinal nerve root compression (eg disc bulge) has been eliminated as a cause of your sciatica symptoms.

Where is your Piriformis Muscle?

Your piriformis muscle originates mostly from your sacrum (base of spine) to insert on the greater trochanter of the femur (thigh bone). In the standing position your piriformis muscle is a lateral hip rotator muscle, but it changes to a medial hip rotator in hip flexion due to its orientation. More information about the piriformis muscles can be found here: piriformis muscle.

What are the Symptoms of Piriformis Syndrome?

You may experience one or more of the following symptoms:Pain is usually felt in one buttock - but you may experience a radiation of pain down the back of the leg (sciatica)..Pain aggravated by hip activity, eg walking, or prolonged sitting.To avoid pain and pressure on the area you may sit lopsided with your sore buttock tilted up.Sometimes, you’ll walk with the foot turned out due to shortening of the piriformis muscle.

What Causes Piriformis Syndrome?

Piriformis syndrome is most commonly caused by your piriformis muscle overworking. The main reasons that it overworks is due to:protection or dysfunction of the adjacent SIJ or hip joints. weakness of your deep hip stability muscles. overpronating feet.

5 EXERCISE RELIEVE SCIATIC PAIN


1. Piriformis StretchLaying on your back, place both feet flat on the floor with knees bent. Rest your right ankle over the left knee and pull the left thigh toward your chest.Hold stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.Remember to keep the top foot flexed to protect your knee.

2. Seated Hip Stretch While in a seated position, cross your right leg over your straightened left leg.Hug your right knee with your left arm, making sure to keep your back straight.Hold this stretch for 30-60 seconds, d then repeat on the opposite side.

3. Pigeon Pose Start in Downward-Facing Dog pose with your feet together.Draw your right knee forward and turn it out to the right so your right leg is bent and your left leg is extended straight behind you. Slowly lower both legs.Hold the position for five to ten breaths, then switch to the other side.

4. Self-Trigger Point Therapy Performing self trigger-point therapy using a lacrosse or tennis ball can be very effective at delivering sciatica pain relief.All you have to do is find a painful spot in the glutes, place the ball at that location and then relax your body into the ball.Hold this position for 30-60 seconds or until you notice a significant reduction in pain. Move to the next painful spot. The total time spent on this exercise should be between 5-10 minutes.Practicing these four exercises once or twice a day can definitely bring you much needed sciatica pain relief.

5.Hamstring stretching is almost always an important part of a sciatica exercise program. Most people do not stretch these muscles, which extend from the pelvis to the knee in the back of the thigh, in their daily activities