Hello, class!  Today's lecture is going to focus on a relatively "little" muscle known as the piriformis.  This little guy attaches one end of himself to the front aspect of the sacrum (the big "v-shaped" bone at the lower end of the spine) and attaches the other end of himself to the greater trochanter (a part of the hip).  The sciatic nerve runs just along the lower border of the piriformis and in about a quarter of the population, the sciatic nerve actually runs through the piriformis muscle.

At Alliance Physical Therapy, we often treat patients with "piriformis syndrome," which involves pain in the buttock or hip area and is usually worse with walking or after sitting.  It is more common in women because the hip angle causes the "hip bone" to push into the piriformis and irritate the muscle.  When the piriformis becomes irritated, it often goes into spasm or swells, it can also "squeeze" the sciatic nerve and cause pain in the buttock that radiates to the hip, down the back of the thigh and even below the knee.

The thorough evaluation done by our therapists is necessary to differentiate the origin of hip pain and sciatica.  If it is determined that the piriformis is the culprit, it is easily treated and almost always responds quickly to a properly established plan of care.

If this sounds like something you might be dealing with, know that you don't have to live with it.  Ask your doctor for a referral to Alliance Physical Therapy and let us show you how to send this pesky problem out the door!

Yours in health,

Karen

A great deal of snow has fallen in many parts of the country this year and with it has come the usual flood of shoveling-related injuries.  Although we haven't been hit as hard as some places, we are still getting our fair share of the white stuff this winter.  The Omaha World-Herald had a timely story outlining many points that should be considered when venturing out to clear your walks and driveways.  Some of the important ones include:

Limit yourself to short stints and drink plenty of water.  Allow yourself a 2- to5-minute break to get inside and warm up.  An hour of shoveling is comparable to an hour of general aerobics, dancing or weight lifting.

Try to push the snow.  Avoid lifting if possible. Divide the driveway into a grid system and traverse the shortest distance possible to push to the edge instead of lifting.  For example, when shoveling a driveway, push the snow from tside to side (to lighten the load of snow in the shovel) rather than shoveling lengthwise.

Try to avoid twisting.  Straight ahead lifting is easier on your body.  When you must throw the snow and need to rotate, rotate your whole body, not just your upper body.  Don't use quick, jerky movement.

Wear boots that give good stability, preferably with traction and flat sole.  A pair of Yaktrax, devices which can be slipped onto shoes or boots, will give good traction on icy surfaces.

Most of the tips are simply common sense but a quick reminder can often prevent unnecessary injuries.  Alliance Physical Therapy is here to help you with all of your winter related injuries. Call us for an appointment.