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